The Trade
by LMXB
Summary: Following the events of Homecoming and Exodus Kara feels more disconnected from Alex than ever. Questioning whether she is really family to the Danvers, when she is given the chance she trades herself for Jeremiah. With no one realising she is with Cadmus, Kara faces weeks of loneliness and torture whilst believing Alex hates her. - Written for a prompt sent by Bobpandas.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Supergirl or the characters.

 **A/N:** This is set some time _after_ 2x15 'Exodus' and assumes that Kara now knows the truth about Mon-El and did not take it well.

It is written for the prompt sent by _Bobpandas_ where Kara trades herself for Jeremiah and is tortured by Cadmus, believing Alex hates her, whilst no one realises she is missing.

* * *

"You okay?" J'onn asked as he walked out onto the balcony where Kara was looking out over the city.

"Great." She said not looking round.

"Want to try again?" He asked moving to stand next to her.

"Seeing I have no job, my boyfriend has been lying to me since day one and Alex is really torn up over Jeremiah, I'm great."

"It'll get better." J'onn assured her.

"I just feel so lost and so disconnected from everyone."

"Does this also have something to do with Alex saying you had to choose whether or not you were part of the family?"

"How do you even know about that?" Kara asked.

"I'm a telepath and Alex has been radiating guilt." J'onn said.

"No. It doesn't have anything to do with that." Kara lied.

"Just because I can't read your mind doesn't mean I can't read your face." J'onn pointed out.

"Fine. At the time her words really hurt. Ever since I arrived in Midvale I was made to feel part of the family. Even in the early days Alex may not have wanted me, but she still referred to me as family."

"Families have arguments all the time. Doesn't mean you're not family." J'onn said.

"But I'm not. Not deep down. We don't share blood."

"Family is more than blood ties."

"Maybe, but maybe deep down it isn't. Maybe she was right. I questioned Jeremiah's intentions and his loyalty. Real family wouldn't do that. I mean Alex's faith in him was unwavering."

"Family is a lot more complicated that that. Family can be cautious and family can make hard decisions. Take your mother and Astra and they were twins." J'onn argued.

"It wasn't just questioning Jeremiah though." Kara said. "I questioned Alex, I sided with you and said she shouldn't be working the case. The last time I saw her that hurt was when I told her we weren't really sisters during the red-K thing."

"I'm sorry I put you in that position." J'onn said.

"It's not your fault." Kara said. "If I were a better sister I would have helped Alex rather than turn my back on her. If I had she never would have ended up on that ship and we would have Jeremiah back."

"You don't know that." J'onn said. "What we do know is Alex is safe and Jeremiah is good."

"And a prisoner of Cadmus, assuming they haven't killed him." Kara said sadly.

"You saved Alex and all the people Cadmus put on that ship." J'onn reminded her.

"But not Jeremiah. I failed Alex again."

"That's not true. Alex doesn't believe that." J'onn countered.

"You said Jeremiah betraying us would change everything, it would make us stronger. But it doesn't feel like that. There is so much distance between Alex and I now. Alex and I have barely spoken since I sided with Mon-El over Jeremiah."

"Both of you have rather a lot going on in your lives right now." J'onn said.

"Do you mind if I take some time off?" Kara asked out of the blue.

"Sure. Why?"

"Last time I felt like this I got some help from Barry, maybe he can give me help again."

"You want to go to a different Earth?" J'onn asked.

"I do. And the device he gave me will let me do that."

"You really think Barry can help?"

"I do."

"Okay. But make sure you tell Alex."

Neither J'onn or Kara saw Agent Rose move away from the wall he had been leaning against whilst eavesdropping. Nor did they know he sent an email reporting the conversation to his other employer.

-00-

As Kara took to the skies a familiar and unwanted voice rang painfully in her head.

"Hello Kara Zor-El." Lillian Luthor said. "Listen very carefully. I am prepared to make a trade. You for Jeremiah. Come alone to the the old National City mental asylum at nine tonight to make the trade. Tell no one. If you do, he dies. If anyone follows you or ever looks for you he'll die. Even after I have released him I can hunt him down and kill him so make sure no one doubts your reason for disappearing."

-00-

"Alex can we talk?" Kara asked approaching Alex at the alien bar.

"Now is not really a good time." Alex said. "Maggie and I have reservations in twenty minutes."

"Oh okay. Sure. I'll just put it in an email." Kara said.

"Um, okay. If that's what you want." Alex said.

"Have a good night." Kara said before heading to the entrance walking past Maggie as she did so.

"Hey Kara, everything okay?" Maggie greeted.

"It's fine. Look after her." Kara replied glancing at Alex.

"Sure." Maggie said surprised by the request.

-00-

Kara returned to her apartment and sat on the couch regretting not being able to say goodbye to Alex, but knowing it was for the best. Knowing how bad she was at lying to Alex she assumed a carefully phrased email would be questioned less than a face to face conversation.

Pulling out a notepad she wrote a letter to Alex which she sealed in an envelope with her mother's necklace. She then put the envelope under her bed with the device Barry had given her. She then wrote an email to Alex explaining she had gone to see Barry on Earth one before setting the mail programme to send it in eight hours. Checking the time she turned off her phone and placed it on her coffee table before turning the lights off and flying to the rendezvous.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

As Kara entered the abandoned hospital she felt her skin crawl. Walking down the dark, empty corridors she looked for any sign of Cadmus. Finally she turned a corner and found herself facing Hank Henshaw.

"Supergirl." He greeted.

"Where's Jeremiah?"

"A secure location. When we trust you have done what was asked he'll be released." He said before pointing and saying. "That way."

Obediently Kara followed him through the dark labyrinth into a stairwell where they descended into the basement. Having reached the bottom floor Kara was led through more darkened corridors, full of a damp smell, before finally arriving at a thick door. She watched as Henshaw entered a code before the door opened and she was momentarily blinded by the bright light that shined from the other side. Blinking she followed Henshaw into the bright area and watched as the door shut behind them.

"Move." He ordered leading her through bright, clinical corridors to a room Kara immediately recognised from years of watching cop shows as a morgue. Only this morgue had bars running up the walls and across the ceiling. From one of the ceiling bars hung some chains and metal cuffs. On the ground sat a metal bed with metal ankle and wrist restraints. Feeling the fear build she silently repeated to herself. "It's worth it to get Jeremiah home."

"Move." Henshaw said ushering her to the centre of the room where the chains dangled from the ceiling. "Arms up." Obediently she did as she was told and watched as Henshaw secured her wrists. "It's Nth metal." He explained. "There is no escape." When he was content she was secure he stepped back and said. "We're ready."

Moments later Kara heard heels click on the floor. Looking round she saw a familiar face.

"Welcome Supergirl. I assume you have held up your end of the arrangement?"

"No one knows I am here. Where's Jeremiah?"

"When I believe you are telling the truth I will release him." Lillian said.

"How can I prove I am telling the truth?" Kara asked.

"By passing some simple but very painful tests."

"And then you'll let him go?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

"My quarrel is not with the Danvers it is with aliens. The Danvers are innocent. Your cousin exploited their humanity. Alex was turned into an abused child whilst Eliza and Jeremiah had their lives destroyed. It is no wonder that Alex hates you. The only surprise is that Alex took so long to see you for the destructive home wrecker that you are."

She then walked closer to Kara and added.

"Jeremiah served his purpose, he has nothing else to offer the cause now. But you knowing that Jeremiah has been returned home and that the price is to not come after you, well that should help you see where you really belong." Lillian smiled. "Now, shall we begin?" She asked before pulling a device from her pocket and pressing a button. When nothing happened Kara asked.

"Should something have happened?"

"Not if you were telling the truth. This fries any electrical system, if you were wearing a tracker or a wire you'd be smoking right now."

"So you'll let Jeremiah go?" Kara asked.

"No. The DEO can be quite inventive so they could have come up with a way to block the device. The DEO are also protective of their own, even if they do bring ruin to those around them. So if they are tracking you and they hear you are in pain they will come for you." She said nodding to Hank Henshaw who opened a lead box and removed a green bladed knife.

"This will hurt." Lillian smiled moments before Henshaw sunk the blade into Kara's abdomen.

00-

"Another Earth? You let her go to another Earth? By herself?" Alex asked storming into the room J'onn was working in at the DEO.

"She asked for time off. I agreed." J'onn said.

"So you knew she was jumping to another Earth?"

"She told me."

"And you let her?"

"She is as stubborn as you. She would have gone regardless. But she promised she would talk to you about it."

"She didn't." Alex said before realisation dawned. "She tried. I brushed her off, I didn't want to be late. She sent me an email instead." Alex said looking guilty. "Why did she go?"

"She needed time to process everything. She thought her friend Barry could help give her perspective."

"Did she tell you how long she was going for?"

"No."

"Is this my fault?"

"Kara is going through a lot. She needed space." J'onn said. "Kara has friends on the other Earth, I'm hoping they can help."

"So what do we do?"

"Wait until she comes back."

-00-

Lillian watched Kara sweat and writhe in pain as Henshaw removed the blade again moments before the wound healed. She watched Kara pant as the pain subsided before saying.

"That's enough. Either the DEO are not listening or they just don't care. After all, an hour of screaming would tug the heart strings of even the coldest out there, unless they hate you."

"Yo...you'll let him go?" Kara asked struggling to recover.

"No. Not yet. I want to make sure no one comes looking for you. When I am convinced no one cares I will let him go." She said turning and leaving.

-00-

"Has something happened with your dad?" Maggie asked when she entered Alex's apartment and saw Alex downing a whiskey.

"She's gone." Alex said pouring another glass.

"Who?"

"Kara. She's jumped to another Earth."

"What?"

"A parallel Earth where she has friends."

"Why?"

"She needed space and time, only she hates space and time." Alex said about to knock back the refilled glass only for Maggie to take it off her.

"Did she give any other explanation?" Maggie asked.

"Not to me because when she came to tell me I told her I didn't have time to speak to her." Alex said taking her glass back off Maggie.

"Last night at the bar?" Maggie guessed.

"She must hate me." Alex said swallowing the drink.

"She doesn't." Maggie said moving the bottle out of Alex's reach.

"You don't know that."

"I do. Last night at the bar as we passed she asked me to look after you. Not the words of someone who hates you." Maggie said.

"Who's looking after her?" Alex asked.

"You said she had friends on this other Earth?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah."

"Then I'm sure they'll look after her. It's what friends do."

"It's meant to be what family does." Alex said sadly.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

_**-Two weeks later …**_.

"Extra-curricular reading?" J'onn asked entering Alex's lab that had text books and papers spread across her work bench.

"It's been two weeks. It's time to figure out how to get her back." Alex said.

"Even if she doesn't want to be found?" J'onn asked.

"Then she can tell me that to my face." Alex said.

"Do you have a plan on how to build a bridge?" J'onn asked.

"More of a theory." Alex said.

"What do you need to make it a reality?"

"You'll help?" Alex asked surprised.

"You know Kara is like a daughter to me, you both are. Of course I want her back. She has to make the decision herself, but there is no reason we can't try to persuade her to come back. So what do you need?"

"These parts and Winn." She said handing him a note.

"You've got it. And Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"You are banned from training with any Agent until we have found Kara. Keep breaking my Agents we won't have enough Agents to catch a small spider let alone fight off Cadmus or an alien invasion."

-00-

"Agent Rose has just reported in." Hank Henshaw said as he approached Lillian who sat watching a monitor, which showed Kara dangling from the morgue ceiling unconscious.

"And?"

"Alex Danvers is starting to attempt to build a bridge to the other Earth. He estimates she is under a month a way of having a workable device."

"It doesn't matter. Even if she makes it and discovers Kara Zor-El isn't there, all she'll believe is she never made it to the other world. She has no reason to suspect she is still on this planet." She then glanced at the screen again. "However, maybe it is time to move to phase two. The Kryptonian is being more mentally resilient than we were expecting. Are we sure that Rose's telepath inhibitor is working?"

"There is no reason to doubt it." Henshaw said. "The Martian has not indicated there is a problem and is still trusting Rose with sensitive assignments."

"Good. Then tell Rose to give the DEO the locations of the bases."

Nodding Henshaw turned and started to leave only for Lillian to call him back.

"When you're done wake up Supergirl and start another session."

"My pleasure." He said leaving.

-00-

"Sir, Ma'am, I may have found something." Agent Rose said approaching J'onn and Alex.

"About Supergirl?" Alex asked.

"No Ma'am. Was I meant to be looking?" He asked.

"No." J'onn said before asking. "What have you got?"

"I've been going through some of the hard drives we salvaged from the Luthor Naval Research facility. I've managed to extract several locations. I believe they may be Cadmus bases."

"Show me." J'onn said.

Nodding Rose directed them to his workstation and displayed several locations on a map.

"They are all either abandoned factories or defunct Luthor Corp warehouses." Rose said.

"Any signs of life from any of them?" J'onn asked.

"Just two." Rose said typing away and bringing up thermal imagery.

"That's a lot of heat for an abandoned factory." J'onn said. "Let's send strike teams to each of the locations. Alex take this one, I'll take that one." He said pointing to the ones with thermal signatures. "But be careful, if it is Cadmus it is likely to be a trap." He then looked at Rose and said. "Nice work Agent Rose, it looks like you have uncovered several Cadmus facilities."

"Thank you Sir." Rose replied.

-00-

"All teams report." J'onn ordered as he and his strike team waited outside their target.

"Team Bravo in position." Alex said.

"Team Cobra in position." Agent Palmer said.

"Team Delta in position." Agent Whitlock said.

"Team Echo in position." Agent Brown said.

"Wait for my signal." He said before opening up a private channel to Alex.

"Alex, be careful you may be even less welcome than the rest of us. And try to leave more of the base in tact this time."

"Understood." Alex said.

Switching to an open channel he said. "All teams move in."

-00-

"It's happening." Hank Henshaw said as he walked up to Lillian. "As requested we have left enough operatives guarding Jeremiah Danvers to make it look realistic. I have authorised that they kill a third of the DEO squad, but ordered Agent Danvers lives."

"Very good," Lillian said changing the video on her screen to the raid on the facility. "Let's hope the DEO squad is up to the challenge." She said as she watched gun flashes on the screen as members of both sides fell to the ground. "And the other locations?"

"Two completely cleared out. One has some hidden Trojans in the computers. The other is offering resistance, but there is nothing to find."

"Did you issue orders on how many of the DEO squad to kill at that location?" Lillian asked.

"All of them." Henshaw said.

"Excellent." Lillian said.

-00-

"Talk to me Alex?" J'onn said over the sound of gunfire.

"We're taking fire." Alex said as she dove for cover again. "We have three casualties. They have more. According to the scans there aren't many of them left. You?"

"Heavy fire, heavy casualties on both sides." J'onn said."But we're winning, just. Let me know when you have secured the building."

"Understood." Alex said shooting another Cadmus operative before leading her team through a walkway into a small dark room. As she shone her flashlight round the room she saw a man in a cage. Holding the light on him she realised it was her father.

"Dad?" She asked.

"Alex?" He asked covering his eyes, trying to shield himself from the light.

"Stand back." Alex said before shooting the lock. She was about to step forward and hug him when she remembered Kara's words about losing focus on a mission and putting others at risk. So instead she ordered. "Cooper, Hartley, secure him and take him back to the DEO. The rest of you with me. We need to clear the building and salvage intel." She then glanced back at her father, who nodded, before leading her team away.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you for all the comments. _Anna_ and _HD_ , I am glad you are enjoying it. _Alex_ , Lena will get involved eventually. The rest of your questions are hopefully answered in this chapter.

* * *

"You okay?" J'onn asked as he walked up to Alex at the DEO.

"I think so." She said looking through the observation window at her father who was being tested by Hamilton.

"You know I have to keep him secure until we can be sure about his intentions."

"I know." Alex said.

"But you can still talk to him."

"I know."

"So why are you out here?" J'onn probed.

"I'm afraid."

"Of losing him again?"

"I hate that I have lost faith in him." Alex said lowering her head.

"He did betray us." J'onn reminded her. "But he also saved you. Give him a chance. I'll have your back. And Winn will be monitoring everything." He then placed a hand on her shoulder and asked. "Ready?"

"I guess" She said before stepping into the infirmary with J'onn. Winn following a few steps behind.

"Alex, J'onn, Winn." Jeremiah said when he saw them.

"Jeremiah, this scene is becoming too familiar." J'onn said.

"I know. And I know you have no reason to believe me, but I am free from Cadmus."

"There will be no more second chances." J'onn warned.

"I know." Jeremiah said before looking at Alex. "I thought I was doing the right thing. They said if I worked for them you would be safe. All I ever wanted was for the three of you to be safe. I know you disagree with my methods, but that was all I ever wanted." Jeremiah explained continuing to look at Alex who stood to one side torn between hugging her father and not believing a word he said.

"Your actions nearly killed Alex and Kara." J'onn reminded him.

"I know that. But that was never my intention. I thought I was keeping them safe." Jeremiah countered. "J'onn, read my mind. You will be able to see that I am telling the truth."

"Um, Alex don't shoot or maim me for saying this, but that could be a trap. If he has a device in his brain it could damage J'onn." Winn said.

"Then scan me first. Run whatever test you need. I am telling the truth." Jeremiah said.

"Do it." J'onn said looking at Winn.

"Why didn't they kill you?" Alex asked as Winn ran the scans.

"I don't know. Probably because they thought I was still useful to them. Maybe they wanted to use me as a bargaining chip. Maybe they were going to capture you or you sister and make me work for them."

"They never said? It's been weeks." Alex said.

"After you got on the ship I was taken out by Henshaw. When I woke up I was in the cell where you found me. Apart from throwing a few choice words and threats my way they have not talked to me. The fact they never came to gloat, I hoped meant they hadn't carried out their threats."

"We're fine." Alex said as Winn finished off the scan.

"Apart from the arm there is no hidden cyber tech in him."

"I can turn off the arm before you read my mind. If you're worried." Jeremiah offered.

"I would so recommend that." Winn commented. Not waiting for J'onn or Alex to agree with Winn Jeremiah looked round the room until he saw what he was looking for. Pointing to a long sharp metal object he asked J'onn.

"May I."

Nodding J'onn watched as Jeremiah picked up the metal object and stuck it in his arm seconds before the arm became dead weight.

"I change my mind." Winn said looking queasy. "I don't recommend you turning it off in front of me, ever again."

Seeing Alex's frown Jeremiah said. "It's okay. I can turn it back on." He then looked at Winn and said scan me.

"No em signals coming from him." Winn said after a moment.

"This may hurt a bit. I am still trying to remaster it." J'onn warned.

"A bit of pain is a small price to pay." Jeremiah said.

"Okay." J'onn said putting his hands on Jeremiah's head. A few moments later he staggered away from Jeremiah holding his own head and Jeremiah lay back on the bed.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked looking from one man to the other.

"This takes me back." Jeremiah said. "Kind of reminds me of really bad hangovers."

"I'm okay." J'onn said collecting his thoughts. He then looked at Alex and said. "He's telling the truth."

For a moment Alex couldn't bring herself to believe him but when J'onn nodded she launched herself at her father.

-00-

"Oh dear. You are nearly the same shade of green as Kryptonite." Lillian said approaching Kara who was still hanging by her arms. "But don't worry, I come bearing a gift. Proof that I am a woman of my word." She said holding a tablet in front of Kara. "I have people working for me in every government department, including the DEO. Which makes obtaining security footage very easy."

"Alex? Jer...miah?" Kara asked trying to focus on the screen.

"Jeremiah has been returned to the DEO. They were understandably suspicious. So here you can see your Martian friend read Jeremiah's mind." Lillian explained. "He is now fully aware f the price of Jeremiah's freedom. Yet, does anyone look upset? No. If anything they look ecstatic." She said pointing at the screen where Alex was smiling whilst hugging Jeremiah as J'onn stood smiling to one side. "See how happy Alex is? After everything you put that family through I can see why Alex hates you and is so willing to sacrifice you. But the Martian? He surprises me. Either way there will be no rescue for you."

"Worth it." Kara said.

"I promise you, you will change your mind. I have barely started playing with you."

-00-

"I read his mind this time and everything he did was to protect Kara and Alex." J'onn said as he led Eliza down the DEO corridors. "But since Alex persuaded him to help her he has not helped Cadmus."

"They could threaten him again." Eliza pointed out.

"Which is why he is under arrest. He'll be confined to the DEO, under supervision, until we can really be sure. But so far the signs are looking good."

"I hope you are right." Eliza said as they reached the room and saw Alex and Jeremiah talking. Seeing the scene Eliza added. "For Alex's sake I hope you are right."

"Ready?" J'onn asked.

"Eliza." Jeremiah smiled as she entered the room.

"Mom." Alex smiled before leaving Jeremiah's side and hugging her mother.

"You okay?" Eliza asked Alex.

"I'm fine." Alex replied before pulling away.

"Where's Kara?" Eliza asked noticing her youngest was not in the room.

"Um, she's gone away for awhile." Alex confessed.

"What do you mean away? Away where? To see Clark?" Eliza asked confused.

"No. To a parallel world." Alex said.

"A what? Why?"

"Recent events took their toll on Kara. She needed time to process everything. She has a friend on the other Earth who she wanted to get advice from." J'onn explained.

"Why didn't she go to Alex or me?" Eliza asked.

"That is my fault." Alex said looking guilty. "I said some things I shouldn't and made Kara feel isolated."

"Can't you call her?"

"No. We don't have the technology to go to the other Earth." J'onn said.

"But she's coming back isn't she?" Eliza asked.

"I, I don't know." Alex said sadly.

-00-

"Hey, what's wrong?" Maggie asked squeezing Alex's hand. The physical contact snapping Alex out of her thoughts.

"Sorry. What?" She asked looking round at Maggie.

"I asked what's wrong? You are miles away. Does this have something to do with your dad?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Then what's wrong? I thought you'd be really happy to have your dad back, again. I know he screwed up before, but he came through for you when it mattered and J'onn said his thoughts are good."

"I know and I am really happy he's back."

"Really? Because you're not acting like it."

"I miss Kara." Alex confessed.

"She'll be back soon." Maggie said.

"What if she isn't? The other Earth she's gone to has super heroes all over the place she always talks about Barry really getting her. What if she chooses to stay there?"

"Why would she? Her family is here. You're here?"

"In the last few weeks she lost her boyfriend, her best friend, her job and I basically told her she wasn't part of the family."

"She knows you didn't mean that."

"Does she?"

"She saved you on that ship."

"She would do that for anyone." Alex pointed out. "I never apologised for what I said. Our last real conversation was when she tried to tell me my priorities were wrong. I never even really thanked her for saving me on that ship. What if she ran away because of me? What if she doesn't come back because of me?"

"Can't you go to the other Earth and bring her back?" Maggie asked.

"I've been trying to build a device. But I just can't figure it out."

"Right now you have lot going on. Maybe you just need a break to refocus your mind?"

-00-

As Henshaw removed another Kryptonite blade from Kara she choked out. "Why?"

"Your cousin destroyed my son. It is only fair I destroy him. Although, your tie to him is not as strong as I had hoped. I assumed he would have noticed you were missing, but apparently not. Or maybe he did notice but the Danvers explained that if he came for you Jeremiah would die and he values Jeremiah over you." Lillian said. "So instead I will have to move onto a new method. Kryptonite. He may have taken the pure Kryptonite, but within this lead lined basement we are generating synthetic Kryptonite. Some, like this blade," She said running the blade over Kara's cheek. "You have already seen. But after the last incident we need to test it better. Perhaps we can even improve on the original. That is where you come in. From now until you die, you will help us perfect Kryptonite in all forms." Lillian smiled before nodding to Hank Henshaw.

"What are you doing?" Kara asked as he approached carrying a syringe.

"Testing liquid compound mark twenty-two." Lillian said as Hank Henshaw injected the contents into Kara's arm causing her to scream in pain.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_ Thank you for all the comments. There have been several guest reviewers who I can't reply to directly, so below are some answers to the questions. There won't be jumping to parallel worlds using the Alex/Winn device. Clark will be making an appearance. The story still has several chapters to go. I am writing it as I go so I don't know how many chapters there will be, but there is a long road ahead for Kara.

* * *

 _ **T**_ _ **wo weeks later...**_

"You have something?" Alex asked when she arrived at Kara's apartment where Winn was already waiting outside.

"Not exactly."

"Then why are we here?"

"A hunch."

"It's been two weeks. And you have a hunch?" Alex asked frustrated.

"It's not exactly easy." Winn said.

"You helped Barry when he was on this Earth and Kara let you see the device."

"All good points, but the physics and electronics we need are hard, way hard. I mean it's not like medicine where anyone can pick it up."

"You said Barry was a CSI not an academic." Alex said letting him into the apartment.

"Stop with the logic." Winn said frustrated. "As I told you yesterday creating a breech is easy. Homing to the right location is hard."

"So what does that have to do with Kara's apartment?"

"Okay, so we know last time Barry jumped to this Earth he jumped into the apartment and then jumped out with Kara, who then returned here. So there is a very, very small chance that there is some lingering radiation that we could use to help lock onto Barry's Earth." Winn said as he started scanning the apartment. "But when Kara finds out we have been snooping round her apartment you can explain why."

"We're not snooping. We are figuring out a way to get her home." Alex reminded him. "Anything yet?"

"No, wait, yes. In the bedroom." He said following the signal. "Its coming from under the bed." He said confused.

"Don't just stand there, help me move it." Alex said moving to one side of the bed.

"I really think this is crossing a line." Winn said.

"Kara doesn't hide things under her bed. It isn't Kryptonian." Alex explained as Winn put the scanner down and helped Alex move the bed to one side.

As they moved the bed Winn caught sight of something familiar. "Alex we may have a big problem." He said.

"What?" She asked walking round to him. "Wait is that the device?"

"Sure looks like it." Winn said picking it up. As he did so he saw the letter and passed it to Alex.

With trembling hands Alex sat on the bed and opened the envelope. As she tugged the letter out Kara's necklace fell into her hands.

"What have you done?" She asked as she gripped the necklace in one hand whilst she held the letter in the other.

 _'Dear Alex,_

 _I know you hate me right now and I can't blame you. I don't blame you. I have ruined your life and the lives of Eliza and Jeremiah. You all welcomed me into your home, your lives, your family and I repaid that by destroying everything._

 _You were right when you questioned if I was part of the family. I'm not. I've never been, I just didn't realise it. I exploited your kindness and by doing so caused you pain. Real family could never do that. Although that was never my intention, maybe Lillian Luthor and Cadmus are right. Maybe I'm a bad person. What I do know is I have no right to call myself a Danvers._

 _You have dedicated your life to protecting me and I will always love you for it. But I can never repay you. But what I can do is give you your father back. Cadmus have offered me a trade. My life for Jeremiah's. I know I won't be returning from this, but I want you to know that I love you and that I didn't hesitate. I know this is the right path. I hope that you and your family grow stronger together._

 _I love you and I am sorry for everything. One day, although I don't deserve it, I hope that you can forgive me._

 _Please know all I want is for you to be happy and live your life. Maybe one day we will be reunited in Rao's light. But regardless please be happy._

 _I love you._

 _Kara.'_

As Alex got the bottom of the letter her tears were flowing freely. Winn looked on feeling helpless and out of his depth.

-00-

"Did you know?" Alex asked marching into her father's room at the DEO. "Is this just another trick?"

"Know what?" Jeremiah asked confused.

"Alex, what's going on?" Eliza asked.

"Kara." Alex said, ignoring her mother, trying to push the fear down.

"What about Kara?" J'onn asked.

"Kara didn't go to another Earth she gave herself to Cadmus. She traded herself for you." She said looking at her father.

"She what?" Eliza asked turning the same shade of white as Alex. She then turned to Jeremiah and repeated Alex's question. "Did you know?"

"I had no idea. If I did I would never have allowed it. I know I have not regained your trust, but you have to believe me when I say I would never endanger the girls." Jeremiah said. "I was willing to sacrifice every alien in the US to keep the girls safe. There is no way I would have let Kara trade herself for me."

"How do you know she traded herself?" J'onn asked.

"She wrote a letter. She hid it with the Earth jumping device." Alex said handing J'onn the letter. Seeing his hesitation she added. "You can read it. You should read it."

"This is dated the day she was meant to have jumped Earths."

"Yeah, she has been with Cadmus for nearly a month." Alex said pacing. "She could be anywhere and there is no trail to follow." She said running a hand through her hair.

"Kara is smart, she'll find a way to leave clues." Jeremiah said.

"You didn't." Alex pointed out.

"I chose not to, to protect you."

"Like you Kara doesn't want to be found." Alex said.

"Why wouldn't she want to be found?" Jeremiah asked.

"To guarantee that you came home and weren't taken back." Alex said. "And because she thinks I hate her."

The revelation knocking the wind out of both parent's sails. Taking advantage of the pause Winn stepped further into the room and said.

"There may be a way to find her."

"How?" J'onn asked.

"By tracking Henshaw or at least his cybernetics. It is a complete long shot, but I have been working on something ever since Jeremiah deactivated his arm."

"What happened when he deactivated his arm?" J'onn asked.

"It is barely noticeable unless you notice these types of things, which I do. But basically the arm didn't undergo any kind of EMC testing or if it did you guys didn't care." He said looking at Jeremiah. "The point is though it causes interference. Interference that causes small modulations in current, including mains supply."

"How does this help us?"

"If Henshaw's cybernetics interact in the same way I may, I stress may, be able to look for fluctuations in the power grid."

"Then why are you standing round here?" Alex asked.

-00-

"You know, I always hated your almost immortality." Lillian said as she walked up to Kara who hung from the ceiling. "But now, now I don't." She then placed a finger under Kara's chin and forced her to look up. "A human would have died weeks ago, but with you I can just point my solar lamps at you and you come back from the brink. This really is a lot of fun. In fact it is so much fun I almost enjoy having you around. Which means I am probably the only person you know who doesn't hate you. What I still can't figure out is if you are stupid or naive. You willingly traded yourself for the man who betrayed you and dear Alex, in the hope he was a changed man? But the trade worked both ways, in exchange for his freedom Jeremiah agreed to you becoming my toy. Does that make him bad or is it okay because you destroyed his family? How does it is feel to know that those who claimed to love you are happy that you are tortured by my hand?" She paused and smiled at Kara. "Nothing to say? Very well then, time for the next session." With that she released her chin and turned to face Henshaw. "She is all yours."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	6. Chapter 6

"Alex?" Eliza said walking into her daughter's lab where Alex was pacing, one hand held to her neck gripping Kara's necklace.

"Mom." Alex replied turning to face her

"Talk to me Alex." Eliza said.

"It's my fault. I made Kara feel unwanted. She thinks I hate her. Cadmus could have killed her and if they have she would have died believing I didn't care about her."

"Kara knows you love her."

"No, no she doesn't. I was so mean to her." Alex said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Kara knows you can have a short temper and that you say things you don't mean in the heat of the moment. She did share a room with you during the worse of your teenage years." Eliza reminded her.

"Even then I knew there was a line not to cross. This was different, I crossed that line. I kinda told her she wasn't really part of the family." Alex confessed.

"Why?"

"Because she questioned dad's loyalty and I refused to believe he wasn't on our side."

"Alex, Kara knows how close you were to Jeremiah."

"That's what makes it worse. She traded herself because she thought it would make me happy."

"Then you have to find her and remind her she is part of this family and without her none of us are happy." She said hugging Alex.

"What if we can't?"

"You will." Eliza said before noticing Maggie was hovering in the doorway. "Don't lose hope." She added before walking to the door, smiling a grateful smile at Maggie before she left.

"I hear you're having a bad day." Maggie said walking towards Alex.

"Maggie? What are you doing here?"

"I told you. I heard you were having a bad day?"

"How? Who told you?"

"Who didn't tell me is a better question." Maggie said. "I had a text from Winn, an email from J'onn and a call from your mom."

"How does she have your number?" Alex asked.

"She call the precinct. For the record I have never been called by a girlfriend's mom at work before." Maggie smiled. "You have a lot of people who care about you Danvers. Except none of them have really told me what's wrong."

"It's Kara. She's not on another Earth. Cadmus have her." Alex said struggling not to cry.

"How?"

"She handed herself in so they'd give dad back."

"I thought you rescued your dad?"

"We did. They lied to her. She traded herself a month ago. That night at the bar when I didn't have time for her she came to say goodbye and I brushed her off. They've had my little sister a month and I didn't know. Last time they had her for a few hour and in that time caused her to solar flare and stole her blood. It makes me sick thinking what they could do to her in a month."

"Alex, no matter what they are doing to her she is going to be okay. She may look timid, but we both know Supergirl or not, Little Danvers is one tough lady. She willingly gave herself to Cadmus knowing what they'd do. You don't do that unless you have inner strength."

"I know. And she is the strongest person I know. I mean she has had to be, she has been through so much. But she gave herself up thinking I hated her and that she wasn't part of the family."

"Alex, Kara knows you love her." Maggie said cupping Alex's face and forcing her to look at her.

"No. In the letter she said she knew I hated her then asked forgiveness." Alex said as the tears flowed freely.

Not knowing what to say Maggie pulled Alex into her arms. "You are going to get her back. Then you two are going to sit down and have a long talk where you'll both apologise, probably for the wrong things, then you'll cry and hug, but you will both come out of this stronger. Okay?"

"Okay." Alex said as there was a knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Winn thinks he has something." J'onn said.

-00-

"We have a problem." Henshaw said entering Lillian's office.

"What?"

"The DEO has traced us."

"How?"

"Rose didn't know the details, something to do with Agent Schott. But he said a team would be here in fourteen minutes."

"Maybe we should recruit the mini Toyman." Lillian mused before she calmly added. "Implement protocol seven. We will leave in nine minutes." Lillian said typing a command into her computer causing all data to be over written.

"What about Supergirl? Do we bring her with us?"

For a moment Lillian didn't answer as she considered her options. Eventually though she said.

"No. Let's see if the product is successful. Leave her for them to find. Even if the product fails we can get her back any time. But before we go, leave Supergirl a parting gift to focus their minds."

-00-

"You sure this is the right place?" J'onn asked as they observed the derelict hospital.

"Absolutely. Plus this place draws way too much current to be unused." Winn said over the radio.

"All Agents, prepare to move in. Be aware it is likely to have defences. Move in your teams and do not get separated. Alex, you're with me." He ordered before he led the assault.

As Alex followed J'onn into the abandoned hospital she wondered if this was where Kara handed herself over. Trying to stay focused she followed J'onn's every command, following him down a stairwell towards the basement. As they moved the smell of damp added to her fear of what they would find and she felt like a character from a bad horror movie. She remembered all the horror movies she had made Kara watch growing up. Kara had hated them and had been terrified, but she had wanted to spend time with Alex so watched them anyway. Alex remembered how scared Kara had been and wondered if she had felt the same fear when she was led through the corridors by Cadmus. As she thought about it though she knew Kara would have been even more scared and Alex felt her chest constrict.

"Looks like this is the place." J'onn said, drawing her out of her dark thoughts, when they reached a locked door with a state of the art electronic lock. Alex watched helplessly as he phased through the door before seeing the door open moments later. Stepping into the bright light Alex followed J'onn checking every room as they went. When they finally entered the former morgue she saw her fears realised when she saw Kara dangling, arms aloft secured to the ceiling with chains. As she saw Kara hang limply her first thought was she was dead.

"Kara?" Alex called pushing her fear down and rushing to her sister's side. "Kara can you hear me?" She asked cupping her face. As she touched her skin Alex was overcome with relief as she felt the warmth.

"Al...no...Je..." Kara mumbled, not fully conscious.

"Don't move her." J'onn suddenly instructed. "She has Kryptonite embedded in her side."

Seeing the wound Alex felt a wave of nausea build inside her.

"Kara, listen to me. I'm going to take the Kryptonite out. It may hurt, but you're safe now." Alex said trying to keep calm. As she grabbed hold of the green blade J'onn noticed the lamps and turned them on.

"They have solar emitters down here?" Alex asked confused before resting her forehead against Kara's and extracted the Kryptonite, hating the whimpers of pain the action caused. The second it was out she handed it to an Agent and ordered him out of the room. She then looked on relieved as the wound started to heal.

"Take her weight." Jonn instructed before trying to break the chains. However, he soon realised what they were made from.

"Its Nth metal." J'onn said. "It's unbreakable."

"So how do we get her out?"

"We pick the lock. Make sure you have her weight." He said phasing his hand into the cuff. A moment later he grunted in pain as his hand, covered in blood was withdrawn from the cuff just as Kara became free. Sagging slightly under her weight Alex looked at J'onn's mangled hand before he assured her. "It'll heal. Let's focus on your sister." He then lifted Kara into his arms and walked out of the facility.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	7. Chapter 7

"Kara, can you hear me?" Eliza asked as she sat by the solar emitter bed that Kara, who was beginning to stir, was lying on.

"Li...Liza?" Kara mumbled as she opened her eyes.

"Right here sweetie." Eliza said squeezing her hand.

On feeling the touch Kara looked down and realised she wasn't strapped to the bed or chained to a ceiling. Pulling her hand out of Eliza's grasp she looked at it as if she couldn't believe she could move it.

"I'm free?" Kara asked as she brought her other hand up.

"Yes Sweetie." Eliza responded. "You're safe now."

"Dream?" Kara asked, more to herself than anyone else, especially as she believed the situation was part of her imagination.

"No Kara. You're safe now." Eliza said taking hold of Kara's hand again.

"No...Jere...miah." She said trying to keep her eyes open despite feeling so tired.

"Jeremiah is safe. We all are." Eliza assured her.

"They … come after him...Go back." She added sitting up feeling a wave of dizziness pass through her.

"You are not going anywhere. You need to rest."

"Have to go. I've caused … too much hurt." Kara said her voice getting less slurred and her sentences more complete as she fought off the tiredness.

"Kara, listen to me. The only one who has been hurt is you."

"No, Alex. I caused her so much pain. But she's happy now."

"Because you are back." Eliza said, stroking some hair off Kara's face that was covered in dirt and grime.

"No...she was with Jeremiah."

"Kara listen to me. You have been through something terrible, right now you're tired and dehydrated and probably starving. You need to drink this." Eliza said gently picking up a glass of liquid infused with spinach, kale and protein. "It will make you feel better and stronger. It will help with the tiredness and confusion."

"You want me to drink it?" Kara asked looking at the glass with fear in her eyes, subconsciously shuffling up the solar emitter bed away from the drink.

"It will make you feel better. Just try a little." Eliza said.

"Kryptonite?" Kara asked.

"Oh no sweetie." Eliza replied feeling sick at what Kara asking the question implied. "It just has protein and vegetables in. It won't hurt you. Just try a bit okay?"

With trembling hands Kara took the beaker and sipped the contents. As she did so she shut her eyes and her body tensed as if waiting to be punched. But when nothing happened she relaxed slightly and opened her eyes.

"See, not that bad for a healthy drink." Eliza smiled. "Can you have more?" Nodding silently Kara raised the glass to her lips again and drunk more of the liquid. When she finished the glass she handed it to Eliza and asked, her voice almost completely free of slurring.

"Jeremiah? Is he okay?"

"He's fine." Eliza said re-taking hold of Kara's hand.

"And Alex?" Kara asked noticing her sister wasn't in the room.

"Better now you're here." Eliza smiled.

"We're protecting both of them." J'onn said entering the room. As Kara turned to face him she couldn't help flinching and squeezing Eliza's hand as she saw and heard Henshaw not J'onn.

"It's okay. It's J'onn." Eliza said. "You're safe."

"Sorry." She mumbled avoiding eye contact. "I thought you were him."

"Do you want me to change to my Martian form?" J'onn offered.

"No. I'll be fine." Kara said willing herself to be strong, before again asking. "Um, how's Alex?"

"She's worried about you." Eliza said.

"Tell her I'm sorry." Kara said.

"You can tell her yourself, she'll be here any second." J'onn smiled. "Is there anything I can get you?"

In response Kara just shook her head and stared at her hand that was still being held by Eliza.

-00-

"How is she?" Jeremiah asked as his armed escort led him up to Alex who stood outside Kara's room.

"Broken. But mom has just managed to get her to drink, so at least we won't have to use Kryptonite on her to start an IV drip."

"Your mother was always very good at getting Kara to do what she wanted." Jeremiah recalled before asking. "How are you?"

"I failed. I am meant to look after her, protect her, but look at her. I didn't even know she was being tortured or that she was in danger all because I was too selfish to have a two minute conversation with her." Alex said as Jeremiah wrapped an arm over her shoulders. Leaning into his chest she added. "I thought she was dead when I saw her. Who could do something like that? How will Kara get over something like this?"

"Fortunately, or unfortunately, you taught Kara how to be brave and stubborn like you." Her father said. "She's going to get through this because she is strong like you and she has all of us to help her through the dark times. But I have to ask why aren't you in there with her?"

"I was helping J'onn with his hand." Alex said.

"Okay, but he's in there now and you're not."

"I don't know how to make this right. She thought I hated her."

"Even more reason to go in and see her." Jeremiah pointed out.

"How do I even start to apologise? How do I make her feel better?"

"Well, she may have changed, but a hug is probably a good start." He said. "I'll be right there with you."

Nodding Alex pulled away from her father and entered Kara's room. The second Kara looked up at her and she saw her sad and scared eyes everything Alex had wanted to say was forgotten. Instead she strode over to Kara ad engulfed her in a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered as her tears flowed.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

"She's escaped already?" Hamilton asked in despair when she entered the room set aside for Kara and the solar emitter bed and saw it was missing Kara.

"No, Alex has taken her to the showers." Eliza explained.

"She's walking round? She should be glued to the solar emitters." Hamilton protested.

"Alex is with her." Eliza said. "She'll bring her straight back if she needs to. Alex won't let anything happen to her."

"I know." Hamilton smiled softly. "I just wish that for once one of your daughters would actually follow my instructions."

"That is unlikely." Jeremiah commented earning a small smile from J'onn.

"How did she seem?" Hamilton asked.

"Confused and disorientated at first." Eliza said. "But slightly better after she drunk that cocktail."

"In which case I will get more of the smoothies made up." Hamilton said.

"Can you change the colour?" Eliza asked before explaining. "She thought there was Kryptonite in it."

"They were making her ingest Kryptonite?" Hamilton asked appalled as she jumped to the same conclusion as Eliza.

"Based on her reaction I think so." Eliza said sadly. "Do you know what else they did to her?"

"No. All her wounds had healed by the time she was brought here, which although it doesn't tell us much about what happened, it does at least mean her body has survived whatever she went through reasonably well." Hamilton explained. "All I can tell is from her colour and the weight loss the Director reported, she is malnourished and dehydrated. The first step is to get her eating and drinking again. After that we are probably reliant on Kara telling us what happened. I'm going to go and get those smoothies made up. Make sure you all take it easy." She added before looking at Eliza. "You are looking a little tired. Get some rest when you are able."

-00-

When Alex and Kara finally reappeared twenty minutes later Eliza barely managed to suppress a gasp. Now Kara was free from the dirt and grime her paleness was even more apparent. Wearing DEO track pants and Alex's favourite hoodie that Alex had insisted Kara wear, she unsteadily made her way into the room, refusing help from Alex who remained a step away ready to catch her sister.

Whilst Alex had allowed Kara space and independence Eliza decided on a different tactic and as soon as her daughters were in the room she jumped up and brought both of them into a tight embrace. When she finally pulled away Jeremiah hugged Kara and said.

"Thank you."

Avoiding eye contact with everyone Kara made it to her bed and sat down. As she did so Eliza handed her another glass and asked.

"Do you think you can have another smoothie?"

Almost robotically Kara held out her trembling hand and took the glass before raising it to her lips. Before she drunk she once again shut her eyes as if fearing the worse. Regardless though she sipped the contents until the liquid was gone. As Eliza took the empty glass off her she asked.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay. But I shouldn't be here."

"You are not going anywhere." J'onn said. But on hearing Henshaw's voice Kara flinched again.

"It's okay." Eliza said taking Kara's hand in hers. "You are safe here. They can't get to you. To any of us."

"Jeremiah's safe?" Kara asked.

"I'm right here. Thanks to you." He smiled as he stepped closer to Kara.

"What did they do to you?" Eliza asked.

"It doesn't matter." Kara said pulling her hand away from Eliza before bringing her knees to her chest and resting her chin on her knees.

"Yes it does." Alex snapped as the guilt and hatred of Cadmus consumed her. "What were you thinking?"

"Alex." Eliza warned.

"I'm sorry." Alex said looking at Kara. "But I hate seeing you like this. Why did you do it?"

"To get Jeremiah back."

"But how did you even find Cadmus?" Alex asked.

"They found me. They have a communications device they can use to contact me whenever they want."

"Are they contacting you now?" Alex asked concerned.

"No."

"How often have then done it?" Eliza asked giving a sharp look to Jeremiah.

"Not often." Her almost monosyllabic answers causing everyone in the room to worry.

"What did Cadmus say?" J'onn asked.

"Hand myself in and they'd return Jeremiah. She, Lillian Luthor, said I could trade myself for Jeremiah. But no one could know. You thought I was going to Barry's Earth anyway so that part seemed easy." Kara said looking at her hand again.

"So you just handed yourself over?" Alex asked.

"It seemed the easiest way to make you happy. But they lied. Jeremiah was meant to be released straight away. But they wouldn't release him until they knew I had come by myself and no one was looking for me. So they ran some tests. I tried to pass them so he'd get released quickly." She said before looking from Alex to Jeremiah and adding. "I'm sorry it took so long."

"What type of tests?" Alex asked not sure if she really wanted to hear the answer.

"Like testing to see if you were listening by trying to fry electronics." She said still avoiding eye contact whilst playing with her hands. "The tests went on for awhile. Then Lillian came and sh-" Kara then suddenly remembered the conversation with Lillian and threw herself at J'onn who overcame his surprise to hug her. As he did so she whispered in his ear. "There's a mole at the DEO. They are watching the security cameras."

"It's okay now. You're safe. I'm going to take care of you." He said before pulling back and nodding at her hoping she would understand he was going to look into it.

"Thank you." She said nodding back trying to not to be afraid at seeing Henshaw's face in front of her.

"But right now, you need to rest. Eliza is going to be right here with you, but I need to borrow Alex and Jeremiah for awhile."

"But-" Alex started.

"It won't take long and may help us find Cadmus." J'onn said.

"Okay." Alex agreed giving Kara another hug and saying. "Don't go anywhere." As she walked away Jeremiah stepped forward and squeezed Kara's hand and said.

"Thank you."

-00-

"What's going on?" Alex asked as they walked down the corridor.

"I need to get something from the archives. And I need your help."

"What about me?" Jeremiah asked.

"I'm sorry, but right now I need you to stay away from Kara. I refuse to put her in danger. So until you've proven yourself you only see her if I or Alex are present."

"I understand."

"Good. Wilkie and Moore will look after you." J'onn said nodding at two Agents. "You can walk round the non-sensitive areas, any attempt to access any restricted areas or Kara will see you thrown back in your cell."

As Jeremiah walked off J'onn caught sight of Winn and called. "Mr Schott with us."

"Okay, where are we going?" He asked.

"Archives." J'onn said as they entered the elevator.

"Okay. Um, how's Kara?" Winn asked.

"Crap." Alex said succinctly as the elevator came to a stop. As they stepped out she looked at J'onn and asked. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"This way." J'onn said leading them into a small room.

"Okay...still not getting why we're here?" Winn said as J'onn shut the door behind him.

"Privacy." J'onn said. "And there are no cameras in this room."

"What?" Alex asked confused as she rubbed her head, which was throbbing.

"Kara said there was a mole at the DEO and Cadmus have access to the security feeds. Winn, I need you to stop the leak. Alex you and I are going to flush out the mole." Seeing the cold, angry glint in her eye he added. "Alex, I know you are angry right now, but when we find the mole we need them alive and talking. They may be our best hope for tracking Cadmus."

"We still have Winn's method." Alex said not wanting to show any restraint.

"Actually we may not. The interference Henshaw's cybernetics causes is small so he needs to be in the same place for a prolonged period for me to get enough processing gain to detect it. Since I traced him to the hospital his signature disappeared. To start with I thought that was because he was on the move, but if there is a mole they could have told Cadmus about the flaw and they could have engineered a solution. If that is the case, getting the mole to talk is possibly our best way to find them."

"But first we need to find the mole without comprising operations further." J'onn said.

"Actually you know you may not need to flush the mole out." Winn said. "I mean Lillian Luthor probably knows that Kara knows there is a mole right? So wouldn't she have warned the mole? Perhaps you need to look for people who haven't shown up for work or have gone home sick since the rescue."

"How long is that list?" Alex asked.

"You'd have to consult HR." Winn said.

"Or you could look now." Alex suggested nodding at Winn's tablet.

"I'm looking." He said as he started to type.

"Do you need my authorisation code?" J'onn asked.

"No, I can bypass that." Winn said before glancing up at J'onn and asking. "Can we pretend I didn't say that?"

"Only if you find our mole." J'onn responded.

"Okay, four Agents have gone home sick today." Winn said. "Two were involved in the raid. Hoskins sprained his ankle and Williams put out his back. Hamilton signed off on both. Croft went into labour so I guess we can rule her out. And then Rose left the DEO during the raid claiming he had flu."

"Rose?" Alex asked. "But he extracted the Cadmus information from the L-Corp Naval Research base."

"Actually that's what he told us he did. All we know for certain is he gave us locations of Cadmus bases." Winn reminded her.

"No one verified the information came from the hard drives we seized." J'onn added.

"But the locations were accurate. Why would a Cadmus operative give up Cadmus bases?" Alex asked.

"They wouldn't unless they wanted us to find them."

"Which means that dad's rescue could have been a Cadmus plan to have him infiltrate us, again." Alex said looking like she had been punched in the gut.

"Or, it could have been a distraction so we lost focus on the fact that Kara was missing." J'onn said. "Let's not jump to conclusions. But we will be cautious."

-00-

"You okay?" Jeremiah asked when he saw Eliza emerge from Kara's room looking a pale.

"Just tired I think." She said.

"You sure? You don't look so good." He commented noticing the beads of sweat on her forehead.

"I'm fine." She said before she took a step forward and collapsed.

"Lizzie!" He cried before shouting as Wilkie and Moore ran up to them. "I need some help here."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	9. Chapter 9

"What happened?" Alex asked rushing into the main infirmary, J'onn on her heels.

"I don't know. She came out of Kara's room and then collapsed." Jeremiah said.

"Mom?" Alex said moving to her bedside.

"I'm okay." Eliza said squeezing her hand. "I'm just a little tired. It's probably just everything catching up with me."

"You don't look okay." Alex said looking concerned.

"I'm fine. Although I'd feel better if you sat with Kara. She shouldn't be alone."

"I'll stay here." Jeremiah offered before looking at J'onn and asking. "If that's okay?"

"It's fine, but your escort remains just outside the door." J'onn said. He then looked at Alex and said. "I'll handle the other problem, look after your sister."

-00-

"Hey." Alex said entering Kara's room. "How are you feeling?"

"What happened to Eliza? She didn't look well and then I heard Jeremiah call for help." Kara asked. "I tried to help, but everyone sent me away."

"That's because you are meant to be resting." Alex said. "Mom's okay. She got a little dizzy, probably because she hasn't eaten for awhile. J'onn has insisted that she gets the full work up from Hamilton, but as soon as she has been released she'll be back."

"Is it my fault?"

"No. Of course not." Alex said. When Kara just looked down at her hands Alex stepped up to her and took hold of her hand. "I know over the last few months I have said things to you that I shouldn't and at times it may have sounded like I blamed you for everything and that you were unwanted. But Kara, what I said, you know I didn't mean it. You are and always will be my sister."

"I know." Kara said, her expression indicating she was lying. Not wanting to push her Alex just hugged her and said.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Kara said confused.

"Yes I do. They had you for four weeks, I should have got to you sooner."

"Four weeks?" Kara asked confused as Lillian had led her to believe he had been there for three months. "You shouldn't have come at all. You know they'll now come after Jeremiah. I knew the deal I agreed to. I didn't expect to be rescued."

"I will always, I mean always, come for you." Alex said. "I'm sorry you were there for so long."

"Of course you didn't come for me earlier. You couldn't. I mean you had just got Jeremiah back. Why would you come? I just don't understand why you came at all? Especially after Jeremiah explained what would happen if you did." Kara said.

"What did dad explain?" Alex asked confused.

"That he could only be free if Cadmus had me."

"Are you saying dad knew Cadmus had you?"

"You know that. I saw J'onn tell you." Kara said.

"Slow down, what do you think you saw?" Alex asked as her headache returned.

"Lillian Luthor showed me the video feed from here." Kara said.

"What exactly did she show you?" Alex asked.

"J'onn reading Jeremiah's mind after he was released. So you knew the condition. You all looked so happy."

"You thought that I was happy to have dad back even though I knew the price was having you tortured by Cadmus?" Alex asked appalled.

"You had your dad back." Kara said.

"Kara listen to me." Alex said. "We only found out you were with Cadmus three days ago. Before that we thought you were on the other Earth. And dad wasn't released, we rescued him. J'onn read his mind to discover if he was still working for Cadmus. He had no idea you were being held. If any of us thought you were anywhere but the other Earth we would have torn this Earth to pieces to find you. We only found out you were being held when Winn and I tried to work out how to get to Barry's world."

"Why were you trying to go there?" Kara asked.

"To find you. I missed you so much." Alex said. "So we tried to replicate the bridge but didn't know how to lock onto Barry's world so we went to your place and found the letter. When you get out of here, you and me are having a long discussion about what you wrote in that letter. Speaking of which, I still have your necklace." Alex said unclasping it and handing it to Kara.

"You're wearing it? Why?"

"Because it made me feel close to you. I missed you every minute that you were gone."

"Why? I've caused you so much pain. I tore your life to pieces."

"No you didn't. And if you are asking why did I miss you? It is because you are my sister and I love you." She said hugging Kara again. When she finally pulled back she asked.

"So do you want to tell me what happened to you?"

In response Kara shook her head, causing Alex to climb on the bed next to her and hug her.

"I'm here when you're ready." Alex said.

-00-

"You've found something?" Alex asked entering the main infirmary where J'onn and Hamilton were waiting.

"These are the test results taken just after your mother collapsed and those are the results of the tests done an hour ago."

"Are you sure they are the right way round?" Alex asked blinking a few times as she tried to focus on the results.

"Positive. Whatever it is that effected your mother was short lived."

"I sense a but." J'onn said.

"There is a but. Several of my team have been feeling unwell. I'm guessing you are too." When Alex nodded Hamilton went on. "The only ones with symptoms though are the ones spending time with Kara."

"Kara's making people sick?" Alex asked.

"She is. We ran some non invasive scans when you brought her back. The results have just come back and they've showed that she has several very small masses in her body."

"What type of masses?" Alex asked paling.

"I am not sure what they are made of but they are emitting an unusual type of radiation."

"And that is what made mom sick?" Alex asked.

"I think so. Each mass has a different signature and either one, or several or all cause effects that are very similar, in terms of blood chemistry and enzyme levels, to what your sister experiences when exposed to Kryptonite. The difference being when the Kryptonite is taken away Kara's physiology repairs all the damage almost instantaneously. The human body is slower to react. From the tests we ran when your mother collapsed and the ones we conducted just now the effects of the radiation seem completely reversible, but they can take several hours."

"So there will be no long term damage to being exposed?" Alex asked.

"I didn't say that. Short term exposure of a few hours seems completely reversible. Longer than that I don't know." Hamilton said.

"And Kara?" Alex asked running a hand through her hair.

"Without running tests I can't be sure, but I'm not sure tests are in Kara's best interests right now. If they have been experimenting on her running tests may trigger a PTSD reaction."

"How do we get the masses out of her?" J'onn asked.

"If we knew what they were made of we may be able to help her body break them down. But without that knowledge we would have to surgically remove them. Which would mean we would have to expose her to Kryptonite and then operate. The problem is the surgery will take hours so we will need to have several teams switching in and out other wise the team will collapse from the effects. Or we do several operations. Either way after what she has been through, I doubt she wants excessive exposure to Kryptonite."

"What aren't you telling us?" Alex asked.

"It is possible that the masses are in areas we can't safely remove them. My team is going through the scan results now, but at least two could be fatal if removed whilst Kara is subjected to Kryptonite."

"But without the Kryptonite there is no way to actually get inside her body?" J'onn said.

"There lies the problem. Once we have gone over all the results I'll let you know what we find."

"Until we have a plan I don't want Kara to know." Alex said.

"I'll agree to that as long as you limit your exposure to less than four hours. With at least two hours off between visits and you agree to regular testing."

"Fine." Alex said before turning.

"Where are you going?" J'onn asked.

"To see my sister."

"Alex." Hamilton said, the use of her first name causing Alex to spin round. "You have been exposed a lot today. You should give it a break. If Kara sees you collapse she'll freak out."

"I'll take her some food, have dinner with her then leave." Alex said.

-00-

"Hey, I have pizza and potstickers and back in my lab I have several gallons of ice cream." Alex said walking into Kara's room.

"How's Eliza?"

"She'll be fine. She just needs to rest." Alex said putting the pizza box on Kara's lap.

"Are you okay? You don't look well." Kara said.

"Perhaps you should try looking in the mirror." Alex said. But as Kara stared at her, concern burning from her eyes Alex smiled and said. "I'm just tired. Being worried about you for a month has taken it's toll."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm just glad you are okay." Alex said getting on the bed and hugging Kara.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	10. Chapter 10

"I have an idea, but there are risks and it will involve Lena Luthor." Winn said entering Alex's lab.

"As in the daughter of the woman who tortured Kara?" Alex asked as J'onn handed her some painkillers for her head.

"Or as Kara likes to call her, her friend." Winn pointed out.

"What's the idea?" Alex asked.

"L-Corp have a cutting edge nanobot division. We can use them to go into Kara and remove the masses."

"This sounds like Innerspace." Alex said rubbing her temples.

"It is, except we won't be inside the nanobots. We can control everything remotely. We can put trace amounts of Kryptonite on each shielded nanobot. When the nanobot gets close to the mass the Krytponite is exposed which should allow them to cut the masses free. Once the mass is free the bot moves away and shields the Kryptonite, allowing Kara to heal. The nanobot then tows the mass to the exit point."

"Exit point?" Alex asked.

"I assumed you and Hamilton would chose a safe place."

"Sounds promising." J'onn said. "What do you need?"

"First we need access to the L-Corp research and products. Then we need access to Kryptonite."

"I'll talk to Lena." Alex said getting up.

"You should be resting." J'onn said reaching out and taking Alex's arm to steady her.

"I'm fine and I'll heal faster the further away from Kara I am." Alex said.

"Just be careful." Jonn said. "Meanwhile I'll talk to Superman about the Kryptonite." J'onn added

-00-

"Agent Danvers." Lena greeted as Alex walked into her office.

"Ms Luthor."

"Has something happened to Kara?"

"Why would you ask that?" Alex asked suspiciously.

"Because Kara is my friend and she has disappeared. I mean I know she needed space and said she would be away from awhile, but I was kind of expecting an email. And I can't imagine why you would be here if not about Kara."

"I'm here officially." Alex said.

"Oh, okay. Wait does this mean I am being accused of something?"

"No. I need your help. Well Supergirl needs your help."

"She does? What can I do?"

"Supergirl was captured by Cadmus. They implanted some masses in her that are harmful to humans. In order to get them out without killing her we need to borrow your nanobots."

"Is Supergirl okay?" Lena asked.

"She will be. I hope. If we can get the masses out of her."

"Of course I will do anything I can, but you do realise the nanobots are experimental. They have never been tested inside someone, or something. There is a chance that Supergirl's immune system will see them as a threat and destroy them."

"Our people will work with your guys to make them work." Alex said.

"Our head of capability is in the air right now. He is due to land in eight hours. But I can give you some of the data files now."

-00-

As Lena walked through the underground car park she became acutely aware that someone else was there. Reaching into her bag she gripped her taser as she increased her pace. Feeling the other presence was getting closer she pulled the taser out just as a familiar voice said.

"You won't need that. I am not here to hurt you."

"Mother." Lena said turning round. "And your henchman." She added noticing Henshaw. "What do you want?"

"To talk. And your loyalty."

"You don't want me to help Supergirl?" Lena guessed.

"Supergirl's cousin drove your brother mad. He destroyed him. No matter what issues we have, Lex loved you and protected you. He deserves more loyalty from you."

"Even if Superman was the cause of Lex's madness, Supergirl is not responsible." Lena said.

"Maybe. But do you know what really drove Lex mad? It was the betrayal. Superman lied to him from day one. Some lies were big, some were small. But everything was a lie. Just like it is with Supergirl."

"What are you talking about?" Lena asked.

"You are being played. Supergirl has lied to you since day one and you have allowed yourself to be manipulated by Kara Danvers."

"What are you trying to say?" Lena asked.

"Kara Danvers ad Supergirl are one in the same. Her real name is Kara Zor-El and she has been using both her identities to manipulate you into doing what she wants since the start. She has been out to destroy our family and has used you to do that. If you don't believe me watch this." She said handing Lena a USB drive. "For your family, you need to give a modified version if the nanobots to her sister. The plans are also on the drive."

Having watched her mother disappear Lena got in her car and turned on her laptop before watching the video showing segments of Kara's capture.

-00-

"Hey Kara." Alex said entering Kara's room. "I stopped by Noonan's and got some sticky buns." She added.

"I'll leave you two alone to kill your arteries. I'd prefer not to watch." Eliza said kissing Kara goodbye before leaving.

"Have you two argued?" Kara asked.

"No. Why?" Alex questioned as she put the food in front of Kara.

"You don't seem to want to be in the same room as each other. Did Eliza blame you? I'm sorry."

"Kara, mom didn't blame me. She should have, but she didn't."

"What happened wasn't your fault. It was my decision to go and I would make it again."

"I'm not letting you ever do anything so stupid again. Ever." Alex said.

"It wasn't stupid and it got Jeremiah back."

"But at what cost? What did they do to you?"

"It doesn't matter." Kara said looking anywhere other than Alex.

"Kara, what I said about either being in the family or not, I shouldn't have said. You are part of the family like it or not. Which means we are always there for each other. The second you are ready to talk, I'm here okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. So what do you want to do?"

"You should just go home. You don't have to be here." Kara said.

"Where else would I be?"

"With Maggie."

"Right now you need me more." Alex said sitting next to Kara on the bed and pulling her in for a hug. "I missed you so much." She added.

"Alex?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure Eliza is okay, she was looking pale."

"She'll be fine. She needs rest. But you know mom she won't rest properly until she is sure you are okay." Alex told her.

-00-

"Hi." Maggie said walking up to Eliza at the DEO.

"Maggie." Eliza smiled.

"Are you okay? You look a little tired."

"I'm fine." Eliza said. "It just takes a while to recover."

"Recover from what?" Maggie asked.

"Kara." Eliza said before guessing. "Alex didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? Has something else happened to Kara?"

"When she was with Cadmus they put things inside her that are harmful to humans. If we spend too much time near her we get sick. We recover, but it takes time."

"She's letting you see her?"

"No, well yes. But she doesn't know." Eliza said. "We are taking it in turns to sit with her. Alex is in there now."

"Are they harmful to Kara?" Maggie asked.

"We hope not."

-00-

An hour later Alex went to her lab and collapsed on a makeshift bed, trying to fend off the nausea when she felt a familiar presence in the room. Opening her eyes she said.

"Hi."

"Hi." Maggie said pulling up a a chair and sitting down next to Alex.

"We should probably talk." Alex confessed.

"Your mom filled me in."

"You going to tell me to stop sitting with Kara?"

"As much as I want you to be safe I know you have to do what you have to do. You are never going to let Kara go through this alone. But if you need anything from me just ask."

-00-

Kara lay in her bed using her hearing to concentrate on Alex's voice. Having heard confirmation of her suspicions that she was making people sick she started to listen to Hamilton and J'onn as they discussed her.

After ten minutes of eavesdropping on various conversations she knew she shouldn't be around anyone. Not wanting to endanger anyone she picked up a pillow and sheets and used her superspeed to get to her mother's hologram room without being detected. Once inside she locked herself in and started the programme.

-00-

"Kara?" J'onn asked phasing into the room. His sudden appearance causing Kara to sink back into the wall. Recovering she said.

"You need to stay away from me. I don't want to make you sick."

"I'm immune." J'onn said.

"The others aren't. Why did you let them near me?"

"You really think I could to stop them? They love you Kara, they want you to feel safe."

"I am making them sick. Haven't I done enough damage?"

"This isn't your fault." J'onn said.

"I am making people ill." Kara reminded him.

"Kara, when you were with Cadmus they put something inside you. It effects humans in a similar way to the way Kryptonite effects you. The effects are temporary though. As long as they limit their time with you they will be fine." J'onn explained as he sat next to Kara.

"It's too risky."

"You're worth the risk." J'onn said. "But now that you know do you remember them putting anything in you?" J'onn asked.

"Henshaw was constantly stabbing and injecting me with Kryptonite. To start with I tried to be strong and stay awake, but the pain...there was so much pain, it was easier to give in and pass out. At least if I was unconscious I couldn't feel anything. But after I passed out they could have done anything. Sometimes I woke chained to the table rather than the ceiling." She said pulling her knees to her chest.

Not sure how to respond he wrapped an arm round her and assured her. "Alex and Winn are working on a way to get it out of you. You'll be back to your normal self in no time."

"Until then, I'll stay here. It's safer for everyone."

"You know your family will just come in here."

"The door's locked." Kara pointed out.

"You think that will deter Alex?"

"No." Kara conceded.

"Right now as long as they spend less than fours with you in each block they will be fine."

"I'll just stay here and sleep for a while." Kara said.

"Okay." J'onn replied as if conceding before standing and walking to the door. The second it opened Eliza hurried into the room.

"Kara." Eliza greeted approaching her daughter.

"You shouldn't be here. I'm hurting you." Kara said backing herself further away from Eliza.

"Short term exposure is fine." Eliza said moving over to Kara who ran out of space. "I'm staying." Eliza stated before sitting down next to Kara. As she looked up and saw the hologram she asked.

"Is that your mother?"

"Alex made it." Kara said nodding.

"So you can talk to her and ask her for things?"

"Yeah, but not hugs." Kara said sadly as she wrapped her arms round her knees.

"Well I can give you a hug." Eliza said putting an arm round Kara and pulling her into her chest. "You could ask your mother to read the story you always talked about, the one about Mortah and Peswar. I'd love to hear it."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	11. Chapter 11

As Kara started to wake she heard a familiar and unwelcome voice. Starting to panic she opened her eyes and found herself staring at Hank Henshaw. Unsure how she had been captured again she lashed out then flew, literally, out of his arms, colliding with wall. As she rebounded off the wall she landed in a heap, surrounded by plaster and large chunks of the wall.

"Kara? Are you okay?" A familiar but slightly out of place voice asked.

"Kal?" She asked looking up and seeing her cousin looking down at her, his forehead scrunched with concern.

"I'm right here. You're safe." He said hugging her.

"But, Henshaw? He wa..." She started to say before turning and seeing J'onn get up off the floor. "J'onn? Did I do that? I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He assured her as Alex sprinted round the corner.

"What happened?"

"She's fine." Superman said coldly before lifting Kara up and taking her back to her room.

"What happened?" Alex asked J'onn as the guilt built inside her.

"I was carrying her back to her room when she woke up and thought I was Henshaw. She panicked."

"I will kill him when I find him." She said.

"You should go see her."

"Seeing the look Clark gave me I don't think I am welcome right now." Alex said.

"He's feeling guilty about not noticing Kara was gone and is taking it out on everyone else." J'onn said. "He'll calm down." He added as Winn hurried over.

"Guys Le...What happened to the wall?"

"What did you want to tell us?" J'onn asked.

"Oh right. Lena Luthor just showed up here with Maggie."

-00-

"What's going on?" Alex asked when she and J'onn entered the small room that housed Lena and Maggie.

"She came round to my place to see you. It sounded important so I brought her here." Maggie explained.

"How do you know about Maggie?" Alex asked getting more suspicious of all things Luthor.

"Kara." Lena stated simply.

"And her address?"

"Money buys most things including information." Lena shrugged. "I wouldn't have done it, but this is urgent."

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"My mother paid me a visit." Lena said.

"Where is she?"

"Crawled back under a rock I would assume." Lena said.

"Why did she risk seeing you?" J'onn questioned.

"To persuade me to give you a modified version of the nanobots."

"Modified in what way?" J'onn asked.

"A small modification to the source code allowing remote control from a superuser, overriding all other commands. My guess is so they could remotely take control of them and kill Supergirl. All the information is on this drive, but you probably shouldn't put it in your network. Knowing my mother it has some virus or malware on it."

"Why did your mother approach you? You're not exactly on the best terms." J'onn asked still weary of her intentions.

"She thought she could persuade me that Supergirl didn't deserve to live."

"How?"

Before she answered she glanced at Maggie causing Alex to say.

"You can say whatever it in front of her."

"She tried to blame Lex's madness on Superman's lies and then said Supergirl had been no better by revealing that Kara and Supergirl are one in the same. I think she'd hoped that I would feel so betrayed by the lie I would embrace her psychotic plans. Which obviously I didn't." Lena said. As she noticed Alex's frown she added. "Don't look so worried. I have known for weeks they are one in the same. For a secret organisation, you may want to work on disguises and cover stories."

"Does Kara know?" Alex asked trying to ignore the 'I told you look' Maggie threw her.

"No. I assumed she had her reasons for not telling me. Her friendship was more important to me than forcing the issue. But if my mother approached me, she will probably approach others she is a master for plans within plans. And as much as I hate to admit it I don't know who I can trust at L-Corp. As paranoid as this sounds I am pretty sure there are people loyal to her working there. So this drive," she said pulling out another disk, "has all our research, it may be safer to use people you trust, than risking using my people. But if you want to take the risk you are more than welcome."

"Thank you." J'onn said.

"There's something else." Lena said.

"What?"

"I don't know how much Kara told you about what happened. Probably not much. But on the first drive there is a video of Kara being tortured. My mother said it was her proof that Kara and Supergirl are one in the same, but maybe she gave it to me knowing I'd hand it to you to mess with you. I don't honestly know, I prefer not to try to second guess my mother. But if you want to watch it, and I wouldn't recommend it, it's there."

"Thank you." J'onn said.

"I'll take you back to L-Corp." Maggie said not wanting to get in the way.

The second Lena had disappeared from the room J'onn turned to Alex and said. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Alex asked.

"Watch it. Lena could be right Lillian might want you to watch it."

"It could offer a clue about what they did to Kara and how to get the masses out." Alex said picking up the two thumb drives.

"Or it could be meant as a distraction." J'onn warned.

"I won't let distract me." Alex said walking out of the room in search of Winn.

"Hey Alex, everything okay?"

"I don't know. I need two clean laptops that can't connect to our network."

"Um, okay. This way." He said getting up and leading Alex towards a store room. "Why?"

"Lena gave me two disks, I want to be cautious. This one is for you, it has all the research on."

"Okay. And the other one?"

"You can have it after I'm done."

-00-

Having got the laptop off Winn Alex went to her lab and powered up the device before plugging in the thumb drive. Just as she was about to double click on the the video she hesitated, wondering if she should take J'onn's advice. For a moment her finger hovered over the mouse before she finally hit play.

"Not so Super today are we?" Lillian asked as she approached Kara who hung limply from the ceiling.

"How does it feel to be truly alone? I admit I thought that you may have corrupted Alex at a deeper level. I assumed that once the euphoria of her father coming home had worn off she would put that brain of hers to use and try to find you. But nothing. He's been back for two months," she said once again lying about the time Kara had been captive, "and Alex doesn't even give a wistful glance at your apartment, or should I say former apartment, when she drives past it. It is almost like you didn't exist. And as for your alter ego. The media don't even care she, well you, have gone. You may have well never existed. Two identities and no one cares that either of them have disappeared."

"In fact only one person tried to ring you. And even she has given up. Any guesses who that may be? Would you like a clue? You claimed she was your friend, whilst lying to her and destroying her relationship with me for your own advantage. You have no idea how happy I am that you can't hurt Lena any more."

"Lena's my friend." Kara mumbled.

"If that were true, why do you lie to her?" Lillian asked. "Friends trust each other, yet you clearly don't trust her. You are no better than your cousin. He used Lex and you used Lena. You brainwashed her so much that she was the only one to show any concern for you. The public wondered where Supergirl was when they were crashing cars and robbing banks. But their curiosity died off in a week and their adoration moved to the Guardian. People really are fickle. Alex chose having her father over you in her life and Jeremiah chose freedom. Your cousin, who knows, but he hasn't made any effort to find you. I guess you really were an unwanted hindrance in his life. It would explain why he abandoned you with the Danvers. But whilst your so called family thrives without you, Lena, she was drawn to you like Lex was to your cousin. But I won't let your kind destroy another of my children. In fact your work here will help Lena. You see when we have perfected the Kryptonite L-Corp will win the contract to make it. It'll be worth billions. So seeing you claim to be Lena's friend I'll even let you choose the method today." Lillian said opening up a lead box. "So tell me Kara, would you prefer us to use the new blade on you?" She asked taking out the blade and cutting Kara's cheek with it. "Or perhaps you want to ingest it again?" She said taking out a doughnut. "After all you must be hungry?" She added waving the doughnut under Kara's nose. "Or shall we just stick with the injection?" She asked putting down the doughnut and picking up a syringe. "I can tell from the fear in your eyes you really don't like this one." Lillian smiled. "This one it is then." She said nodding to Henshaw who put Kara's arm in a vice like grip before Lillian stuck the needle in Kara's vein. As she depressed the plunger Kara screamed in pain.

Unable to watch any more, Alex pulled the thumb drive from the laptop and roughly shut the lid whilst plotting her revenge.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I am flying home tonight so I am not sure when I'll be able to post the next one. Hopefully it will be tomorrow, albeit later than normal, but it may be the day after.


	12. Chapter 12

"I told you not to watch it." J'onn said entering Alex's lab which now had a broken computer monitor in the corner.

"I need to know what they did so I can help her." Alex said before saying "Three minutes and fourteen seconds."

"What's three minutes and fourteen seconds?" J'onn asked confused.

"The length of the video, at least the length that I could actually watch. In that three minutes and fourteen seconds, or if you prefer, 194 seconds, Kara went through more pain than I have ever seen her put through. In that 194 seconds Lillian Luthor manipulated her, lied about the time she was there, wove a completely believable story about how no one was looking for her, because lets face it we weren't and she told Kara no one cared about her. Something that would have been pretty easy to believe after what I said to her. But that's not the worse part. I watched as she was lied to and tortured for 194 seconds. Cadmus had her for 2.7 million seconds. Do you know what they could have done to her in that time?"

"Alex, we can't change the past." J'onn said. "But we can shape the future. Kara needs you to be strong for her. Focus on what we can do, not what we can't."

"Right now that doesn't feel like much."

"I thought you were making progress with the nanobots?"

"We are, we should have something ready to use in the next few hours. But even if it works how does Kara recover from everything else? How do I fix what I said? How do I prove that Lillian was lying?"

"You do what you have always done. You be there for her."

"What if that isn't enough?"

"We make it enough. You are painfully stubborn Alex, you can use that to your advantage."

"So what now?"

"We keep it simple. Step one, help Kara. Step two, find Cadmus."

"Have you found Rose?" Alex asked happy to focus on revenge for a moment.

"Agent Rose has not been seen since we rescued Kara. My guess is he ran off and joined up with Cadmus. The fact Winn hasn't managed to track Henshaw suggests that Rose managed to figure out the tracking and passed the intel onto them."

"How did you not know he was working for Cadmus?" Alex asked, the question sounding more of an accusation than she had intended. "I mean to work here, near a telepath, shouldn't he have been on edge."

"There are some people I find it very hard to get a feel for. Rose was one of them. I don't know if it was natural or conditioning. But when we find him I'll figure it out."

"If you couldn't detect what Rose was up to does that mean you could have been wrong about dad?" Alex asked.

"Anything is possible." J'onn said. "But this time I was able to read your father's mind, before it was as if it was blocked from me. Don't lose your faith in him."

"Right now we may have a bigger security problem than my dad." Alex said deep down hating she couldn't trust her father.

"What's that?"

"If Lena was approached that means that Lillian Luthor knew what we were doing. That means that Cadmus has a mole at L-Corp, here, or both."

"I know." J'onn said. "Winn is looking into it."

-00-

"Can I get you anything?" Clark asked as he continued to sit with Kara, all the while feeling helpless but responsible.

"No. I'm fine. You don't have to stay." Kara said wanting to be alone.

"I'm not going anywhere." He said. "But, I've been thinking. Why don't you come and live me Lois and I for a while?"

"In Metropolis?"

"That was the plan." He smiled. "You talked about it before."

"That was different."

"Kara, from what J'onn said you were going to go off to an alternate Earth. It sounds like you don't view here as home any more. You have no job and Alex..." He said trailing off.

"Alex what?"

"She's responsible for what happened."

"No she's not."

"If she hadn't told you that you weren't family would you have gone?"

"How do you even know about that?"

"Super hearing." He reminded her. "People here are talking about it and blaming her."

"It's not her fault, I chose to go."

"Because of what she said." Kal-El pointed out.

"No. Because it was the right thing to do. I have cost the Danvers so much. It was time I repaid that debt."

"There shouldn't be debt with family." Clark countered. "Family should always be there for each other. Not cast you aside when it suits. Alex questioning if you were family did just that."

"How is that any different from you abandoning me with the Danvers in the first place?" Kara asked, not wanting Alex to be blamed. Before Clark could answer she went on. "Do you really think I wanted to get in that pod and leave my parents?" Kara asked. "I didn't care that I would have died. I just wanted to be with them. But they sent me away to look after you and when I got here you didn't need my help and you sent me away as well. It was Eliza, Jeremiah and Alex who gave me a home and a family. They sacrificed so much for me, Alex especially."

"Kara, getting the Danvers to look after you wasn't me abandoning you. It was me wanting you to feel normal. To have a family."

"I'm not normal." Kara reminded him."But they were always my family. And despite how much it hurt when you left me there initially I am glad you did it. I gained a new family and I will always be grateful. But it cost them too much. They'd have been better without me. They'd have been better with neither of us in their lives."

"That's not true." Clark said. "You've made them happy and you've never thrown it back in their faces. I really thought they were family for you like the Kents were for me."

"They are."

"Kara, I know what she said to you."

"It was a fight and she was upset."

"Fights like that shouldn't happen."

"You're an only child, you wouldn't know. Siblings fight all the time. Aunt Astra and my mother were always fighting. It's what sisters do and other fathers did not always get on. But ever since you took me to the Danvers Alex has been a sister to me. Even when she really didn't want me in her life. Yes we did fight, but that doesn't matter. I would have made the trade regardless. The fight made it easier to do as I didn't have to lie to Alex. Alex has always been there for me. She has given up so much to protect me and I have given her nothing in return. Saving Jeremiah was a way to make her happy."

"No one doubts you or your intentions, but perhaps they are misplaced. Come live with me for a while. I can look after you and we can be the family we should have been from the start."

"We may be related by blood, but right now we're not family, maybe we never have been. My bond with Alex was as strong as it was with my parents and aunt Astra. We've never had that." Kara said."How could we? You grew up by yourself, not knowing about me or Krypton. But Alex was always there for me and she owes me nothing. Even if Alex no longer views me as family she has already done more for me that I could ever repay."

"Kara, Alex has been sitting with you knowing it makes her sick. She still views you as family." Clark said.

-00-

"Hey." Maggie said. "I got your text. I'd ask if something was wrong, but the destruction round here kinda tells me everything. You watched the video didn't you?"

When Alex nodded Maggie stepped up to her and hugged her.

"She was told we weren't looking for her, that she'd been there for months. That we didn't want her in our lives. Then they tortured her." Alex said.

"Kara knows you love her." Maggie said.

"What if she doesn't? The worse part is Lillian Luthor wasn't lying, we weren't looking for her."

"Only because you had no idea she was in trouble. As soon as you did you found her. You brought her home." Maggie reminded her. "But why aren't you with her now? You are looking better than last time I saw you, or have you discovered something else about the things they put in her?"

"No. Her cousin is with her and right now he hates me."

"Cousin as in Superman?"

"Yeah."

"And he hates you?"

"He does now. He blames me for what happened."

"Firstly, it's not your fault. Secondly, your day really sucks." Maggie said giving Alex another hug. When she pulled back she looked Alex in the eyes and said. "There's something else isn't there?"

"I was talking to J'onn about Agent Rose, the Cadmus mole, about the fact J'onn couldn't detect he was working for Cadmus and it made me realise Cadmus have already won. No matter what happens they have engineered a situation where it will be impossible to completely trust my father." Alex said sadly. "And maybe Kara will never trust us again."

-00-

"Alex, can we talk?" Clark asked entering her lab an hour later.

"Um sure." She replied.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have blamed you."

"Yes you should. She did it because of me."

"No, she did it for you." Clark said. "Because she loves you. Because you are her family."

"Except she did it believing I didn't think she was family and that I hated her."

"As Kara explained to this only child from Kansas, siblings argue."

"Maybe, but I should never have made Kara feel like that."

"And I shouldn't have blamed you. I was angry at myself. I should have known something was wrong. I was also hurt that she didn't tell me she was planning on leaving this Earth and I was really hurt that she prefers to seek advice from someone she barely knows than come to me. But as Kara just pointed out I've never really been there for her. I offloaded that to you and your parents. I should have been better family to her."

"We all should." Alex said.

"Now Kara needs all her family to help her so please don't stay away because of me."

"I won't."

"Good. But don't spend too much time with her. Neither of us want you to get ill."

"I won't." Alex said. "But hopefully that won't be an issue soon."

"You're close to getting the masses out?"

"We have a plan, we just need to test it and persuade Kara she wants to be injected with something containing Kryptonite."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	13. Chapter 13

"Why aren't you asleep?" Alex asked as she entered Kara's room.

"Not tired." Kara shrugged.

"You are still a terrible liar." Alex said approaching Kara. "Where's Clark?"

"I thought he went to see you."

"He did, but then he left."

"I may have upset him. I said some things I shouldn't." Kara said. "I hurt him, I didn't mean to, but I just wanted him to understand."

"Understand what?" Alex asked.

"It doesn't matter." Kara said going back to playing with her hands. When Alex placed her hand on top of Kara's it forced her to look up as Alex asked.

"You want to tell me what's going through your head?"

"Nothing much." Kara lied before changing subjects. "You shouldn't be in here. Its too dangerous."

"No it's not. I'm fine." Alex said. "What is not fine is you being alone."

"I'm okay." Kara said before once again changing topics. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I have been testing Winn's plan and we think we have a way to safely get the masses out of you."

"You do?" Kara asked hopefully.

"We do. There are four options but you need to decide which one you want okay?"

"Okay."

"Option one. The safest for you is we do nothing."

"That sounds like a bad idea."

"Option two, you solar flare. Without your powers you are human so Hamilton's team can operate and remove them. However, two of the masses are in really dangerous locations and Hamilton is worried that if they are removed you will suffer from rapid internal bleeding which she may not be able to fix in time and without your powers your body won't be able to heal."

"Okay." Kara said nodding that she understood.

"Option three, we set up a Kryptonite room and turn the levels up high enough to operate. But again Hamilton is worried that when two of the masses are removed you will suffer from rapid internal bleeding which. By the time the surgical tools have been removed from your body so that the emitters can be turned off it may be too late."

"Option one is suddenly sounding better." Kara commented.

"Finally, option four." Alex started. "We inject you with nanobots. Which can be piloted to the masses and used to cut them free."

"Nanobots? Like Innerspace?" Kara asked.

"Possibly not the most relevant detail to pick up on, but yes. Although they will be controlled remotely."

"But how would they get inside me?"

"We would need to use a Kryptonite lined needle." Alex said. "And there is a risk that your body will view them as a threat and attack them."

"So options three and four involve Kryptonite, and option two and three are likely to kill me?"

"Yes, so you can stick with option one if you want." Alex said.

"No that harms the rest of you." Kara said.

"Whatever you choose I'll be right there with you." Alex said squeezing her hand.

"Would I be sedated?" Kara asked.

"Only for two and three. Optional for four."

"I want to be awake." Kara said before adding. "Go for four."

"You can just take option one. It is the safest option for you." Alex said.

"No, I want option four. I don't want to put the rest of you in danger any more."

-00-

"Alex has explained everything." Kara said as Hamilton started to explain the procedure again.

"Okay, do you have any questions?"

"No." Kara replied.

"Good. Well we're ready when you are." Hamilton said glancing at J'onn, Alex, Eliza and Clark who stood round Kara's bed.

"I'm ready."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Hamilton said as Alex took Kara's hand.

"It won't take long and when we're done you'll be back to normal."

"Okay." Kara said as Hamilton re-entered the room. As she approached Kara with the syringe Kara started to have flashbacks to her time with Cadmus and scrambled off the bed.

"Stay away." She cried as she started to have a panic attack.

"Kara, listen to me. It's Alex." Alex said crouching in front of her. "No one is going to hurt you. We just want to make you better. Listen to my heart. Count the beats." She soothed, feeling relieved when Kara started to calm. When she was convinced Kara was in control of her breathing she wrapped her arms round her.

After several minutes Kara finally whispered. "Sorry."

"Hey, you have nothing to apologise for." Alex said.

"I shouldn't have freaked out, but I saw the syringe and thought I was back there." She confessed as she clung to Alex who felt her hatred towards Cadmus grow.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Alex said not wanting to tell Kara she was crushing her. "If you don't want this you don't have to have it."

"No. I don't want to make you sick. I want them out. I just...seeing the syringe..."

"How about I give you the injection while mom and Clark talk to you?" Alex suggested.

"Okay." Kara agreed finally pulling away from Alex.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

-00-

"She'll be okay." Clark said to Eliza as they stood outside the room giving Alex and Kara privacy.

"I hope you're right." Eliza said. "I know she is strong, but what they did...I mean we don't even know everything they did, just snippets, but even then...This planet doesn't deserve either of you."

"It's not as if there aren't bad Kryptonians." Clark shrugged. "It wasn't that long ago Non tried to wipe out humanity." He then turned to look at Eliza and said. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked confused.

"If I hadn't taken advantage of your and Jeremiah's kindness your lives would have been very different. Jeremiah would never had ended up with the DEO."

"And we would never had had Kara." Eliza pointed out. "If you and Jeremiah hadn't met that day our lives may have turned out differently, but without Kara they would have been much emptier." She then smiled and asked. "Out of interest is excessive guilt a Kryptonian trait?"

"Maybe. It is definitely a Kara trait that is rubbing off on me." He smiled just as Alex came out of the room. Seeing her Clark immediately asked.

"How is she?"

"Okay. She's ready to try it again. But we have a new plan. I'll give her the injection and you two distract her." Alex said to Eliza and Clark.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	14. Chapter 14

"You sure you want this?" Eliza asked as she sat by Kara's bedside.

"I'm sure."

"You don't have to." Clark said.

"With time we may find a way to break them down naturally." Eliza added.

"I just want them gone, now." Kara said trying to ignore what Alex was up to.

"Seeing you are going to be awake anyway, do you want to watch something?" Eliza suggested. "How about High Society?"

"Okay." Kara said suddenly tensing when she felt the needle on her arm.

"I don't think I've ever seen that." Clark commented as he held Kara's hand trying to force conversation. "Is it good?"

"Can't believe you've never seen it. What have you been doing on Earth all this time?" Kara asked beginning to panic as she felt herself weaken slightly from the Kryptonite.

"There's a lot to learn on a farm." Clark said trying to smile reassuringly. "I didn't have time for TV."

"It's all done." Alex said having injected the nanobots and put the syringe away.

"Really?" Kara asked.

"Really, told you it wasn't so bad." Alex smiled.

"Now what?" Clark asked.

"We are going to start with the simplest one, if that works we'll go to the more complicated ones." She then took Eliza's place momentarily and said. "I'm going to go and help Winn. But if you want me I'll be right outside okay?"

"Okay." Kara said.

"If you start feeling strange or unwell tell mom immediately. Don't be brave."

-00-

"Any sign of her immune system fighting them?" Alex asked as she joined Winn and Hamilton.

"Unfortunately yes. We've had to un-shield the Kryptonite slightly. That seems to be holding the antibodies off, for now anyway." Winn said

"But it may also cause Kara discomfort." Hamilton warned.

"She promised she'd tell mom if it did." Alex said as she looked through the observation window at Kara who was being talked to by Eliza and Clark.

"We are about to try the first one." Winn said before pointing at the screen. "It looks like they fused it to the bone."

"That is going to hurt to remove." Hamilton commented.

"I'm going to warn Kara." Alex said. "Don't start until I give you the signal."

"Okay." Winn said as Alex hurried from the room.

"What's wrong?" Clark asked as Alex re-entered Kara's room.

"We are ready to remove the first mass, but it has been fused to the bone. Getting it out is going to hurt, a lot. Are you sure you don't want to be sedated?"

"I don't want to sleep." Kara said, not wanting to face her nightmares yet.

"Are you sure you still want to go through with this?" Eliza asked.

In response Kara nodded and removed her hand from Eliza's explaining. "I don't want to hurt you."

Taking Kara's hand in his Clark said.

"Squeeze as hard as you need."

"If it gets too much let mom know and we'll stop." Alex said before returning to the observation room. As she entered she asked.

"Ready?"

"Yes." Winn said. "But I need you to know I have done this fifty times in the simulation. The last forty eight times successfully. I know I can do this, but if you hover and threaten that's going to make me nervous and I don't work as well when I'm nervous."

"I'll be over there." Alex said pointing to where Hamilton was standing watching various screens.

"Good. Okay then, here I go." Winn said piloting the nanobot up to the mass before fully un-shielding the Kryptonite and cutting.

Alex looked through the window and her heart broke as she saw Kara writhing in pain. Knowing she couldn't help she looked at the monitors in front of her showing Kara's blood pressure and heart rate soar. Just when she was about to order Winn to stop she saw the mass come free and she released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"That is freaky." Winn commented as he saw the bone repair.

"Ok, get that one to the exit area." Alex said. "I'll start on the first of the difficult ones." she added taking control of the second nanobot that had automatically navigated to the correct area. As she took control she glanced at Winn's screen where his nanobot was rapidly moving through Kara's bloodstream and said.

"Watch where you're going with that."

"I know what I'm doing." Winn said defensively. "Concentrate on your own piloting."

"Unlike you I have flown a space ship." Alex reminded him.

"Technically you stood in the cockpit whilst Kara saved the day." Winn reminded her.

"I was talking about Kara's pod." Alex shot back.

"Perhaps the two of you could both concentrate on what you're doing?" Hamilton suggested.

"Sorry." Winn apologised.

"Damn." Alex said as she piloted the nanobot round the mass. "It's what we thought, it is attached to the heart."

"They got it in there." Hamilton said. "So we should be able to get it out but as soon as it comes clear we need the Kryptonite shielded."

"You want me to do this?" Winn asked noticing Alex's hesitation.

"No, I'll do it." Alex replied. "It worked in the simulation."

"And it will work now." J'onn said encouragingly.

"I'll let you know if her vitals drop to dangerous levels." Hamilton said looking at a bank of screens.

"Okay." Alex said taking a deep breath before deftly piloting the nanobot towards the planned incision point. Once there she unshielded the Kryptonite.

"Heart rate is becoming erratic." Hamilton said calmly.

"Here goes nothing." Alex said as she started to cut the mass out of the heart wall. As it came free Hamilton said.

"She's bleeding. Blood pressure dropping, rapidly."

Moving as fast as she dared Alex sent various commands to the nanobot before looking at screen and commenting as the blood flow lessened.

"There, it's healing."

"Blood pressure is rising." Hamilton said as they watched the tear heal. "Her stats are back into normal ranges."

Relaxing slightly Alex programmed the nanobot to pull the mass to the exit point before looking at Hamilton who commented.

"So far so good. I can't see any reason to stop. But you may want to get your mom out of there. With the masses closer to the surface they'll effect her more and she is already looking pale."

"I'll switch with her." J'onn said turning into his Martian form.

"Next one?" Winn asked.

"Next one." Alex agreed.

"Is everything okay?" Eliza asked entering the room.

"It's fine, but we were worried it was getting dangerous for you to be in there." Alex said. "How is she doing?"

"She is in more pain than she's letting on." Eliza said as she stood behind Winn and Alex. As she looked at the screen she asked. "Should you be moving that so fast?"

"This is not a good family trait." Winn muttered. "New rule backseat drivers wait outside." Noticing everyone was still watching him he said. "Seriously I work so much better without the stress." Taking the hint Eliza went and stood next to Alex who was watching Kara through the observation window.

Alex knew the second Winn started to cut the mass free from Kara's reaction. Hating seeing Kara like that she drew comfort from Eliza's presence.

"It's free and she's healing." Winn said proudly.

"Stats are fine." Hamilton said.

"Time for the lung then." Alex said returning to her station. She then turned to Winn and asked. "You ready?"

"Sure." He said sounding nervous. When Alex glared at him he said. "Yes, yes I'm ready."

"Okay then, just as we practiced you hook, I'll cut." Alex said.

Seeing Eliza's frown Hamilton explained.

"When it is removed we think it could cause a pneumothorax. Although we are confident that her body can repair itself the danger is the mass or the nanobot will get caught in the air so Winn is trying to stop that happening whilst Alex removes the mass."

"I see." Eliza said as Alex cut the mass free.

"Heart rate is increasing." Hamilton said looking at her monitors.

"Moving away now." Winn said.

"We're clear." Alex added a moment later.

"Everything is returning to normal." Hamilton said.

"That's it. The difficult ones are done." Alex said. "Just two more simple ones to go."

"How are you getting them out of her?" Eliza asked.

"They are all assembling at her side. When they are all there we cut from the inside and let them come out with the blood." Alex said. Seeing Eliza's deepening frown she added. "It won't be a large wound and as soon as the nanobots are clear she'll heal."

"How are you going to store the masses?" Eliza asked.

"Lead box." Alex said walking to the far side of the lab and picking it up.

"Ready when you are." Winn said.

"Ten minutes Alex. Not a moment more." Hamilton warned as Alex left the observation room.

"Everything okay?" Clark asked when Alex entered.

"Yeah we just need to get them out of her body now." Alex said before looking at Kara. "There will be a small wound and a little bleeding then it'll be over."

"You shouldn't be here." Kara said to Alex before looking at Clark and adding. "Or you. When they come out both the masses and the Kryptonite will be exposed. You should both go. Please."

"I've got this." J'onn said. "Don't make me make that an order." He warned.

"Please Alex." Kara said looking at her sister.

"Fine, I'll be outside." Alex said handing J'onn the lead box. Once she and Clark had left J'onn turned to the observation window and nodded.

"You okay there?" He asked when she saw a wound open on Kara.

"Fine." Kara lied fighting off nausea as J'onn used gauze to collect the blood, which he hoped contained all the masses inserted by Cadmus. Once his job was done he placed the gauze with the masses in the lead box and checked that Kara's wound had healed before asking.

"Still okay?"

"Is it over?" Kara countered.

"Unless anyone tells me differently." He smiled just the door opened and Alex rushed over and hugged Kara.

-00-

"Hey." Alex said entering Kara's room a few hours later. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. You?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure you got everything out of me?" Kara asked looking concerned.

"We are."

"What if they put something else in me as well? Something the scans don't show."

"We'll keep monitoring. But we are confident we have everything." Alex said.

"It's too dangerous. I should be in isolation. Perhaps I should go to Clark's Fortress or-"

"Kara. You are fine and you are not going anywhere." Alex said. "You sure you are feeling okay?"

"I'm fine."

"In that case, we need to talk."

"About what?" Kara asked

"The letter you wrote." Alex said signalling Kara to shift over so she could sit on the bed beside her.

"What about it?" Kara asked as Alex perched on the bed.

"I am so sorry I made you feel like that. I was hurting and I took it out on you. But I never hated you. No one can hate you."

"Lillian Luthor does, Hank Henshaw does."

"Fine, no one who matters hates you." She said hugging Kara. "I have never hated you and I am so sorry for making you think otherwise."

"You should hate me. I hurt you so much."

"When?"

"Not trusting Jeremiah, not supporting you after J'onn suspended you."

"Kara, what you said did hurt. But you were right on both occasions."

"That doesn't matter, I should stick by you and support you."

"I didn't when you became Supergirl. I mean when you saved that plane, my life, did I thank you? No. I just made you feel like crap."

"That's not exactly true." Kara said.

"Yeah it is."

"You were just trying to protect me."

"Which is what you were doing with dad and J'onn." Alex said. "And I love you for it. I'm sorry that I was so mean to you over it. I shouldn't have been. I was angry and upset and confused. I never should have taken it out on you. I'm sorry." She apologised hugging Kara tighter. "I missed you so much when you were away. The second I found out Cadmus had you I looked for you so hard. I'm sorry it took so long. But Kara, you need to know I will always come for you. Okay?"

"Okay." Kara said.

"You are a Danvers for life. There is no escaping." Alex went on. "I love you."

"I love you too." Kara said hugging Alex back. When Alex finally released Kara she said.

"There's something else you need to know."

"What?" Kara asked.

"Lena knows you are Supergirl."

"She does? How?" Kara asked eyes wide.

"Claims she has always known. But Lillian forced the issue. She tried to use the fact you hadn't told her to convince Lena to corrupt the nanobots. And before you ask, no she doesn't hate you, but she is concerned about you. When you are up to it you should go visit her."

"I thought you didn't trust her?"

"Well you do, and she saved your life." Alex said. "So do you want me to drive you over?"

"What? Now?"

"If you want. There's no reason to stay here." Alex said, but on seeing Kara frown she said. "Unless you want to. Are you still feeling the effects of Kryptonite?"

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Do you want me to get mom in here to guilt it out of you?"

"No."

"So what's wrong?"

"I'm scared." Kara confessed causing Alex to hug her tightly.

"Whenever you are ready to leave you won't be alone. I'll be right there with you. But for now why don't we watch Big Little Lies and Riverdale?"

"You hate Riverdale."

"No, I just think it's stupid." Alex corrected. "But you like it so let's watch it."

"Really?"

"Really. Just let me get my laptop."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	15. Chapter 15

"Kara! Come in." Lena smiled when she saw her friend in the doorway two days later.

"Hi." Kara said looking awkward as Lena walked over to her. "I want to say I'm s-" She tried to stay only for Lena to hug her and say.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Kara asked confused.

"What my mother did to you."

"That's not your fault." Kara said pulling out of the hug. "And Alex said you saved me."

"Not really, I was just able to give her some technology."

"Technology that saved me and helped keep the people I care about safe."

"After all the times you have saved me, it was the least I could do." Lena smiled.

"Alex also said you know who I really I am." Kara said looking awkward.

"I do."

"I'm sorry for not telling you. I hated lying to you. But Alex gets mad at me for telling too many people. I wanted to but then during the whole Medusa thing you were angry at Supergirl and I didn't want to loose you as a friend. I was also worried you'd hold being Superman's cousin against me."

"Kara I can think of at least three different reasons you wouldn't have told me, each of which would be completely justified. And technically I lied to you by not telling you I knew."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought that would scare away my only friend." Lena confessed.

"I'm still sorry I didn't tell you."

"Kara, it's fine really. I'm just glad you are on the road to recovery. But out of interest what is happening with Supergirl?" Lena asked.

"Supergirl?"

"Yes, she's run off to Mars to get married." Lena said. "At least that is what the Star claimed. The Express believed she was so dismayed that no media outlet ran the story on the Cadmus exodus plan and the only reporter who said anything was fired for her troubles, that she has become a hermit, while the Guardian say she has gone off to have a child. And CatCo has gone Guardian mad."

"I missed a lot." Kara commented.

"Yes you did." Lena said. "I assume from the lack of an answer though you are not sure if Supergirl will be back?"

"If I return as Supergirl I am worried that Cadmus will go after Alex."

"Did my mother tell you that is what she would do?" Lena asked.

"She said if I escaped she would kill or recapture Jeremiah. She wants to destroy me and she knows how to do it. If Supergirl doesn't come back maybe she'll take it as a victory and leave my family alone."

"You can't live in fear. If you do, my mother and every other bigot out there wins. But Supergirl shouldn't return because you feel she should, only if you want her to." Lena said. "You have done enough for this city, this planet. You should do something for yourself." She said her tone serious. She then paused and smiled. "But that is a decision for another day. How about dinner?"

"Dinner?" Kara asked.

"I assume you still eat?" Lena said.

"I do, but I can't tonight. Alex is waiting for me. How about tomorrow?"

"I have a charity event in the evening, but I could do lunch." Lena smiled.

-00-

"How did it go?" Alex asked when Kara returned home.

"Good. She doesn't hold it against me."

"Told you." Alex smiled. "So what do you want to do tonight?"

"Actually I was thinking I'd just get some sleep."

"Okay, well I'll be right here."

"Alex, I'm fine. You don't need to stay."

"I want to stay." Alex said.

"I know you mean well. But I have to do this by myself. Please go home. I'm okay."

"You shouldn't be alone."

"Alex, I'm fine. I have my powers, I can protect myself. And I know J'onn is watching the apartment."

"It's not that I'm worried about."

"I know, but I'm okay."

"Two days ago you didn't feel comfortable leaving the DEO." Alex reminded her.

"I know and since then I've talked to you and the DEO shrink and I'm okay. But if I am going to keep getting better I need to fight some battles alone. I promise I am not running away. I'm just going to sleep and I'll do that better alone and so will you. And you look like you could use sleep. Besides I'm sure Maggie would like to see you."

When Alex continued not to move Kara added.

"If anything happens I'll call. I promise. But tonight I need to prove to myself that I can sleep in my own apartment, by myself."

"Fine." Alex reluctantly conceded. "But call if you need anything."

"I will." Kara said hugging her sister.

-00-

Alex and Maggie lay in bed sound asleep when there was a knock on the door. Sitting up Alex turned on the side light.

"What?" Maggie asked groggily as she started to wake up.

"Someone's at the door." Alex said picking up her side arm and walking to the door. Now fully awake Maggie picked up her service weapon and covered the door from a distance.

"When Alex looked through the peep hole she immediately put the gun down and opened the door asking. "What's wrong?"

"Nightmare." Kara said as she stood in the doorway her arms wrapped round her body. Looking beyond Alex and seeing Maggie in the background she quickly apologised. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come."

"Kara, get in here." Alex said reaching out and taking Kara's hand before tugging her into the apartment. "You can come anytime. I knew I shouldn't have left you tonight. I'm sorry."

"I told you to go." Kara said as Alex led her to the couch. As Kara sat down she noticed Maggie was now dressed and putting on her boots.

"Where are you going?" Kara asked her.

"Back to my place. You need time with Alex."

"No, stay. Please." Kara said. "I won't be long."

"You're staying here." Alex told Kara as she sat down next to her.

"No, I don't want to interrupt. I can go."

"You are staying. If it makes you feel better Maggie will stay too."

"Why don't I make some cocoa?" Maggie offered. "And ice cream?"

"Thanks." Kara said softly.

"You want to talk?" Alex asked as Maggie went to the kitchen.

"No. I just needed a hug." Kara said causing Alex to wrap her arms round her.

"You're okay." Alex said.

"I know. I just got scared. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid." Alex said as she continued to hold her hoping she would open up. The silence was eventually broken by Maggie returning with a tray of cocoa and ice cream.

"Thanks." Kara said sitting up and taking the ice cream.

"Any time." Maggie smiled as Kara ate her first spoonful.

"Is your freezer broken?" Kara asked pulling a face.

"Don't think so. Why?" Alex asked.

"This tastes disgusting." Kara said putting the bowl down.

"Told you." Alex said glancing at Maggie before looking back at Kara and saying. "It's vegan ice cream."

"Then it's not ice cream. Why would you have that in your apartment?" Kara asked.

"You two are unbelievable." Maggie complained picking up her jacket.

"Where are you going?" Kara asked.

"To get some ice cream you won't complain about. Any flavour?"

"One cookie dough and one strawberry." Alex said.

"Anything else?" Maggie asked.

"Chocolate?" Kara suggested.

"I'll be back soon." Maggie said kissing Alex goodbye.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you two." Kara said looking guilty.

"It's fine. And this way I get real ice cream." Alex said as she pulled Kara in for another hug. "So are you going to tell me what the nightmare was about?"

"Just my time at Cadmus."

"Anything in particular?"

"It felt so real, it was like I was back there. Every sound, every smell, the pain, the feeling of defeat, Cadmus winning."

"Cadmus didn't win. We got you back." Alex said.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me."

"After I traded myself Lillian Luthor said I no longer had any freedom. I was hers and I would do whatever she wanted. That she would break me. And that she would enjoy watching me beg to die. To start with I thought that no matter what happened I could beat her. To start with it was, I wouldn't say easy, but I had a goal, to make sure Jeremiah got released. But after he was released, I don't know how long after I had no sense of time, it got too much." Kara paused and looked down at her hands before continuing. "I don't know if it is because I had made peace, I mean you were safe and happy, Jeremiah was home. Kal, well he never needed me. Maybe I was just a coward. Whatever it was, the pain it got too much and like Lillian predicted I begged to die." The confession causing Alex to hold her tighter. "But then she changed the rules ans she told me that if I died she would kill Jeremiah." Kara said. "After that I fought so hard to stay alive, but I don't know how much longer I could have lasted."

"Kara you survived and we are all fine." Alex said her hatred of Cadmus increasing with Kara's every word.

"Except I'm not am I? When I close my eyes I see Lillian Luthor's cold smile. Whenever a door opens I think it is Henshaw coming in for another round. You saw first hand what I'm like round needles. Although I am alive, maybe Supergirl is dead. And it's not just that, she has generated so much doubt about Jeremiah he may as well not be back. It feels like she has won."

"Kara, you are alive. You survived. That is what matters. We may need time to regroup, but I promise you I will take Cadmus down."

"And I love you for saying that, but getting yourself killed is not going to make me feel better." Kara said.

"I'm not going to get myself killed." Alex promised her.

-00-

"How's your sister?" J'onn asked when Alex arrived at the DEO late the following morning.

"She opened up more last night, well this morning, which I guess is good and she's having lunch with Lena today which may help her feel more normal. But.." She trailed off not sure how to say what she was trying to say.

"It's going to take time." J'onn said. "But your sister has proven how resilient she is. She'll get through this because she has you to help her."

"Alex, it's happening." Winn said jogging up to her to J'onn.

"What is?"

"Cadmus have contacted Kara." Winn explained.

"Which you know how?" J'onn asked.

"Ultra high frequency detectors to intercept messages for Kara's ears only." Winn said.

"What did they say?" Alex asked.

"Come back to them or they will kill Maggie."

"Where's Kara?" Alex asked.

"Just got back to her apartment."

"I'll go." J'onn said. "You bring Maggie in."

"Um, it may be too late. I just intercepted some police chatter. Maggie was abducted from 2nd Street twenty minutes ago." Winn said.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	16. Chapter 16

"You have to let me go." Kara said as J'onn flew her into the DEO, his arms wrapped tightly round her.

"Kara." He started as she tried to get out of his grasp.

"You don't understand." She pleaded.

"Yes I do. Just come with me for a minute. After that if you want to go you can."

"Okay." Kara conceded as J'onn led her to a secure room where Alex was waiting.

"Kara?" She greeted in surprise and relief as she went and hugged her sister. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But you have to let me go. I have to go before it's too late." Kara said as J'onn blocked the door.

"We know about the message." Alex said.

"Then you know I have to go before they take Maggie."

"They already have Maggie." Alex said. The statement stunning Kara who for a moment said nothing before saying.

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. Just let me go and fix this."

"You plan to hand yourself in? Again?" Alex asked.

"Yes." Kara replied.

"Are you insane?" Alex asked.

"It is the easiest way to get Maggie back."

"Maggie would not want you to pay that price and neither do I." Alex said.

"But I do. This is something I have control over." Kara said.

"No you don't. Lillian Luthor has the control at the moment. They have planned everything. Doing what they want won't achieve anything." Alex replied. "You think I don't want to charge in there guns blazing? I do more than anything. But Lillian is smart, even when she gives you a location she won't be there. It will be a trap and we'll be no closer to helping Maggie or stopping Cadmus."

"Giving myself over to them is our best chance of saving Maggie." Kara countered. Despite her words Alex could see the raw terror in Kara's eyes.

"Kara you are terrified of Lillian Luthor and Henshaw and with good reason. You can't just walk in there alone."

"I have to."

"No you don't." Alex said firmly.

"There's another way." J'onn added.

-00-

"What's going on?" Jeremiah asked when J'onn approached him and Eliza in one of the DEO offices.

"Cadmus have taken Maggie." J'onn said. "They also contacted Kara demanding her to come to them."

"She didn't go did she?" Eliza asked. "Where's Alex?"

"She was going to, but we intercepted the message and stopped her. She's with Alex now. They're both here."

"Um, is someone making sure they both don't do something stupid?" Jeremiah asked.

"Winn is watching them. He'll call if he's worried." J'onn said.

"No offence to Winn, but he's not going to be able to stop either of them." Eliza pointed out.

"Right now they both know the best option is to work together." J'onn said. "They won't do anything stupid, yet."

"Why are you telling us, well me, this?" Jeremiah asked.

"Cadmus have been ahead of us the whole time. That needs to end." J'onn said. "It's time for you to pick a side."

"I already have." Jeremiah said. "I will do whatever I can to help Alex and Kara."

"Then give us something we can use. You were with them for nearly fifteen years. You know how Lillian Luthor thinks. There must be a weakness we can exploit." J'onn said.

-00-

"Everything okay?" J'onn asked Winn as he joined him outside the room Alex and Kara were in. Looking through the window he could see they were still having an animated debate.

"Um, no." Winn said.

"What do you mean?" J'onn frowned.

"Kara's a mess. I get that. But Alex, she is unbelievably calm. It's scary. Have you done something to her mind?"

"My powers don't work like that." J'onn said.

"Then I correct my last statement she is uber scary right now. I mean Cadmus have taken her girlfriend and want to torture her sister, she should be angry, throwing things, breaking walls. But she's in there calmly planning a rescue. At least that what it looks like until you see her eyes. I never knew eyes could burn like that. Seriously right now I am more scared of her than I have ever been. That White Martian has nothing on Alex right now."

"As long as she channels her anger into something useful it's fine." J'onn said. "Unless you are Cadmus."

"So wouldn't want to be Lillian Luthor right now." Winn agreed.

"Mr Schott, Jeremiah believes he has something that could help us. Work with him. But don't tell him the plan."

"That part is easy, I have no idea what the plan is." Winn said. "But I do have these as requested." He said handing two small metal objects to J'onn before walking off. For a moment J'onn looked at the objects in his hand before entering the room Alex and Kara were in where they were still debating Kara handing herself over.

"You don't have to do this." Alex said.

"Yes I do." Kara replied. "It's the right thing to do."

"That maybe, but I could take your place." J'onn said.

"No, she'll be expecting that. Especially as you brought me here. She'll test that it's me and if it's not I'm pretty sure she'll kill Maggie. It has to be me."

"Are you sure you can handle this?" J'onn asked concerned.

"Yes." Kara said sounding less sure. She then stood up straighter and said. "I'm sure, because I know you will be coming for us." She then clutched her head.

"What?" Alex asked.

"She's contacting me again." Kara said. "I have ten minutes to show up at the docks."

"That gives us five minutes to make the plan foolproof." J'onn said handing Kara the two metal objects. "These are trackers, try to place one on Maggie and keep the other one on you. The second it gets too much or you have seen Lillian Luthor press the button on the side. It will send a micro-pulse that will tell us to come in after you."

"Kara, you don't have to wait for Lillian to show up, we can get her another way. Just get out of there safely." Alex said.

"This ends today." Kara said before hugging Alex.

-00-

As Kara reached the docks she felt the fear build inside her. Part of her wondered why she had fought so hard to come, she could have let J'onn pretend to be her. She could have been safe. But as those thoughts swirled round her head she dismissed them remembering she was here for Maggie and she was here for Alex. She had promised Alex she would get Maggie back and Alex had promised she would rescue Kara. As long as they trusted each other it would be okay. At least that is what Kara mentally chanted to herself.

Entering the warehouse Kara saw a familiar figure lying on the ground.

"Maggie?" Kara asked as she she approached the detective who was bound and gagged.

Seeing Kara Maggie started to try and tell her to run, but with the gag on it only came out as muffled grunts.

Kneeling in front of her Kara removed Maggie's gag, carefully, but subtly, fixing a tracker to Maggie's collar as she did so.

"Are you stupid?" Maggie asked when the gag was gone. "You shouldn't be here. It's a trap."

"I know." Kara said, trying to hide her own fear. "You need to get out of here."

"I don't think so." Lillian said over a speaker system. "After going to all the effort to bring Detective Sawyer here, it would be a shame for her to miss the fun. Especially as she is part of the entertainment. Of course I would have let her go, but you reneged on the deal. The deal was to come alone and not tell anyone, but you went to the DEO."

"That wasn't my choice. They intercepted your message. But I'm here now and I'm here alone. So why don't you come out here?" Kara asked.

"You think I would be stupid enough to wait here for you? I don't think so. Especially as you are clearly working with the DEO. Do you really expect me to believe that they just let you come?"

"They did. Maggie is too important to Alex." Kara said squeezing the tracker but not pressing the beacon.

"You'll excuse me if I don't take your word on that." Lillian said as Henshaw walked through a door and shot Kara with a Kryptonite dart causing her to fall to the ground.

"Kara!" Maggie cried as she tried to scramble over to where Kara lay. Her progress was cut off by Henshaw's foot making contact with her ribs.

With Maggie on the floor trying to get her breath back Henshaw stepped over to Kara and placed Kryptonite cuffs on her. Happy she was secure he left the room again.

"Kara?" Maggie asked slightly breathlessly as she tried to ignore the pain in her ribs.

"I'm okay." Kara lied. "You need to go."

"Not without you." Maggie said moving over to Kara and pulling the dart from her chest before tossing it to one side.

"How touching. But to be clear the only place you two are going is where I want you to. Now the question is who exactly are you. A reaction to Kryptonite can be faked." Lillian commented over the speakers as Kara sat on the ground trying to overcome the nausea. Just then the door reopened and Henshaw returned carrying a blow torch. As he approached Kara Lillian added. "A reaction to fire can't be faked. Although not as educated in Martians I do believe your one has a deep rooted fear of fire and when exposed will revert back to his true form. So lets see who you really are." With that Henshaw approached Kara and grabbed her arm before applying heat. As he started to burn her skin and she cried in pain Maggie lashed out at Henshaw's legs, trying to kick him off balance. Unperturbed by Maggie's involvement Henshaw watched as Kara's skin burned. But when her form didn't change he backed away.

"Interesting. I thought they would have sent the Martian. You really are hated aren't you?" Lillian said before ordering Henshaw. "Secure them and bring them both to the lab. Make sure you aren't followed."

-00-

"They're moving." Winn said looking at the camera feeds which showed several trucks leave the docks. "When do you want me to activate the tracker?"

"Not yet. They may still be monitoring." J'onn said.

"I'm telling you they wouldn't detect it even if they were. Unless you are using the exact matched filters and the correct windowing there is no chance of detecting it above the noise floor." Winn said.

"Are you prepared to stake their lives on that?" Alex asked. "Because that's what you'll be doing."

"I am." Winn said. "Right now we are trying to follow six trucks all headed in different directions. They may not be in any of them. The tracker is the best hope and it will only be detectable to us."

"Are you sure Kara hasn't activated the beacon?" Alex asked.

"I'm sure."

"Fine, do it." Alex said.

"Okay. Here we go. I have them. They are in the same location, or at least their trackers are." Winn said. "And look at that they are not in the trucks. They are in an underground tunnel. Crap this is bad."

"What?" Alex asked beginning to panic.

"You know how I said it was a really weak signal?"

"Yes."

"It may be too weak to penetrate the tunnel if they go much deeper. We need to move closer."

"Let's move. Don't lose them." J'onn warned.

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	17. Chapter 17

Having been deposited in a cell in a new location Maggie looked round and saw Kara trying to sit up in a neighbouring cell.

"Kara." She asked moving over towards the bars that separated them.

"Maggie?" Kara responded.

"You okay in there?"

"Great."

"Really? Because you look like crap."

"That's the Kryptonite." Kara said looking at the green cuffs.

"How's your arm?"

"It hurts. But it'll heal when I get away from these." She said holding up her wrists, wincing as she moved her arm. "Being human really sucks."

"Why did you come?" Maggie asked.

"To save you."

"As much as I appreciate that, do you actually have a plan?"

"Turn myself in and you get released." Kara said.

"No offence, but your plan sucked." Maggie commented.

"There may have been a couple of flaws." Kara conceded.

"Alex knows you came?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah."

"Good, then you know Lillian Luthor is the least of your problems, because Alex will kill you when we get out of here."

"Welcome back." Lillian greeted as she entered the room. As she did so Kara searched for her tracker only to realise it was missing. Smiling Lillian held up a small metal object. "Looking for this? Henshaw found it on you back at the docks. I assume it is a tracker or a beacon. We destroyed it either way so help won't be coming, especially as your allies at the DEO are currently following a dummy truck." Smiling wider when she saw the fear in Kara's eyes she added. "Don't look so distressed. I am truly glad to see you, and not just because I missed our little sessions. You see I had such hope when I released you. I really thought that we had made the breakthrough we needed with those little presents we left in your body. I should have known that Lena would meet my expectations and betray her family. But no matter that little experiment combined with the others and your father's research have told me everything I need to create the ultimate weapon. All I need now is a little more testing. As it turns out it doesn't have to be done on you, I would have been quite content with the Martian. But seeing you are here I will confess I will enjoy it even more. And the best part is Supergirl, if you can still call yourself that, will ultimately be responsible for humans turning on aliens."

"What are you talking about?" Maggie asked hoping to keep Lillian's attention off Kara.

"Bleeding heart alien groupies like you, hold back the rest of humanity. Your naivety is contagious. It stops the threat being seen. Apparently for humans to take the threat seriously and protect our planet they have to see the threat for themselves." Lillian said looking at Maggie.

"See, that's where your problem is. Humans offer just a much danger as aliens. And most aliens are peaceful." Maggie said.

"That's just what they want you to believe. They are all a threat. And soon every human will see that and turn against the alien threat. It will probably start with internment camps, but it will end with an exodus."

"You're insane." Maggie said glancing over at Kara who sat silently in her cell.

"No. I'm a genius." Lillian said. "I will get humanity to save itself. And I won't harm a single alien, well not really." She then turned her attention back to Kara and said. "The best part is Lena's betrayal actually gave me an idea on how to implement the plan. You see, while the nanobots may have saved you by removing my radioactive shards from you, they can be used to insert those same shards in aliens. Combining your father's genetic research with the Luthor nanobots we will identify and infect every alien, whilst leaving them unharmed. However, they will make every human they come into contact with sick. Eventually humanity's survival instinct will cut in and they will isolate then remove the aliens. It really is perfect."

"No, it's really sick." Maggie said.

"No my dear. Sick is what you will be feeling once we bring the alien back." Lillian said nodding to Henshaw who entered Kara's cell and hauled her to her feet.

"Leave her alone." Maggie demanded.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, not yet. But as soon as we have inserted my perfected element into her we'll bring her straight back. Of course based on my calculations, your exposure to it will kill you in six hours. All the while the alien gets to watch you die, a rather painful and unpleasant death, knowing she is the cause. She'll watch first hand as she once again destroys her sister's happiness." Lillian said turning and walking away followed by Henshaw who dragged Kara with him.

As the door slammed shut Maggie desperately tried to figure out how to escape. Ignoring the throbbing in her ribs she tried to loosen her restraints so she could reach into a pocket hoping there was something sharp she could use. As she moved she felt something cold by her neck. Moving her hands up she located a small metal object similar to the one Lillian had shown off minutes before. Hoping it would help not hinder Maggie pressed the small button on the side before placing it in her pocket and going back to trying to free herself.

After several minutes, just as she felt she was making progress another door swung open and she found herself blinded by a flashlight.

"Maggie." Alex said hurrying over to her cell.

"She has Kara, go." Maggie immediately responded. "Go."

Nodding Alex and J'onn ran further into the complex leaving the other Agents to free Maggie.

-00-

"Let her go." Alex demanded as they entered the room where Kara was strapped to a table with Lillian standing next to her, wearing a lead apron. The only thing stopping Alex pulling the trigger was how close the scalpel was to Kara's throat.

"Alexandra, I always enjoy our little chats. I see so much of your father in you." Lillian smiled before raising her other hand which was holding something. "I can see that you want to squeeze that trigger and end my life. But you may want to reconsider." Lillian said revealing a switch she held in her hand. "You see I have planted explosives, very fiery explosives round this facility and I will detonate them. Of course I take inspiration from you. The difference between mine and yours though is some of mine will release Kryptonite gas which will be rather fatal to the alien. So how much does the alien mean to you?" Lillian asked. "More or less than your revenge."

"You're bluffing. You wouldn't kill yourself." Alex said.

"True. But I am not an idiot and I have planned this very carefully. To maximise my survival chances whilst minimising yours." Lillian said. "So why don't you put your weapons down?" Lillian suggested not paying any attention to Kara who drew on the last of her strength to use her heat vision against Lillian, hitting her shoulder. Due to the Kryptonite the heat vision barely grazed Lillian's shoulder, but it offered enough of a distraction for J'onn to charge at Henshaw as Alex took aim at Lillian.

Aware of the threat Lillian pressed a button causing a huge blast from the far corner sending Alex flying. For a moment J'onn wrestled with Henshaw managing to stab his arm just before Henshaw used his laser beam eye on the Martian. Grunting in pain J'onn rolled off Henshaw and was powerless to stop his escape with Lillian. Finally managing to get to his feet he rushed to Alex's side relieved when he found her trying to get up. Having been helped to her feet Alex hurried to Kara asking.

"Kara? You okay?"

"Kryptonite." Kara said as J'onn used his strength to break the Kryptonite cuffs. With them removed he placed them in a lead box Lillian had been hiding other Kryptonite weapons in.

"You okay?" Alex repeated as the burn on Kara's arm started to heal.

"Maggie?" Kara asked.

"She's safe."

"We need to go." J'onn said helping Kara to her feet just as another explosion rocked the room.

"I'll go after them. You get Kara out of here." J'onn ordered.

"But-" Alex started to protest.

"Kara needs to get out of here." J'onn reminded her.

"Come on let's go." Alex said helping Kara out of the room. When another explosion happened parts of the ceiling started to fall. Immediately Kara pushed Alex to the ground and shielded her with her body. As the ceiling hit Kara it broke into smaller pieces and landed harmlessly on the ground.

"You okay?" Kara asked as dust swirled round the room.

"Yeah." Alex said standing. "You?"

"I'm fine."

"Good. Let's just get out of here. If Lillian was telling the truth we may be about to be surrounded by Kryptonite gas."

As they started to move again Kara's superhearing heard a cry for help.

"Wait, there's someone trapped in there." Kara said pointing to a room.

"Kara we are running out of time." Alex warned.

"We can't leave them" Kara said as she approached the door, which she used her super strength to break through. The second Alex stepped into the room she saw Rose pinned under a beam.

"Leave him. He's not worth it." Alex said. "He betrayed all of us."

"That doesn't mean he deserves to die." Kara said using her strength to lift the beam off him moments before another explosion. When the room stopped shaking she lifted Rose up and looked to Alex.

"Let's go."

-00-

When the trio finally made it outside Kara handed Rose over to waiting DEO Agents and Alex couldn't help but smile when she saw the rough treatment they gave him. She quickly refocused on the present though and asked. "Where's the Director?"

"He's not out yet." One of the Agents said as another blast ripped through the building. Just as Kara was about to go in after him they saw J'onn fly out moments before another explosion shook the area.

Landing next to Alex J'onn shook his head. "I'm sorry. They got away."

-00-

"Why are you in here rather than with Maggie and Kara?" J'onn said as he joined Alex in the gym where she was destroying a punch bag.

"Hamilton threw me out of the infirmary."

"Must be a first." J'onn commented.

"Apparently I was getting in the way of her diagnosis." Alex said as she threw more punches.

"You okay?" J'onn asked.

"No. They got away." Alex said. "Again." As she unleashed some more blows. "They came after Maggie and Kara and they got away with it."

"That's not entirely true." J'onn said causing Alex to stop punching the bag and look at J'onn. "Thanks to your father's intel and Winn's ingenuity we infected their network." J'onn explained.

"It worked?" Alex asked.

"Like your father suggested, during my fight with Henshaw I managed to connect the chip to his cybernetics. When he returned to the Cadmus base he connected to the network and the Trojan was unleashed. We got everything from their work, to their locations, to their personnel and we wiped their servers. Unfortunately, their systems detected the intrusion and it looks like they evacuated immediately. There wasn't a trace of them at the base where Henshaw connected."

"Wait, you raided the facility without me?" Alex asked.

"Yes. We both know if you came on the mission you wouldn't have kept your anger in check."

"Neither Lillian or Henshaw deserve to live." Alex said.

"That doesn't justify murder." J'onn warned. "The last thing Kara needs is you to end up in jail. But whilst they may have escaped we dealt them a lot of damage." J'onn reminded her. "And while they are off in hiding we will be making ourselves stronger. But Alex?"

"Yes."

"Seeing Kara went to all that effort and risk to save Rose's life I do not expect him to be subjected to any injuries whilst in our care. Let's take the higher ground."

"So that's it? He gets away with it?"

"Not at all. He's locked away and will be living in fear of what you will do to him. Especially when you walk past his cell every day. In the mean time he'll be telling us everything he knows about how Cadmus recruits."

"What if he doesn't talk?"

"He will. I have already told him you'll take over the interrogation when I stop finding him useful. Apparently getting interrogated by one of the aliens he hates is a much more welcome prospect than being interrogated by you."

-00-

Entering the infirmary Alex saw Kara sitting on the solar bed whilst Maggie was standing next to her.

"You two are unbelievable." Alex complained before looking at Kara and saying. "You are meant to be lying on the bed, resting and recharging." She then turned to Maggie and said. "And you are meant to be in bed."

"Wow Danvers you are normally a lot more seductive than that when trying to get me to bed." Maggie responded catching Alex, who immediately reddened, completely off guard.

"You're cute when you're flustered." Maggie added causing Alex to redden further just as Eliza walked in.

"Everything okay?" Eliza asked seeing Kara and Maggie were smiling whilst Alex was standing silently her cheeks red.

"It's fine." Kara said hopping off the bed and hugging Eliza.

"Should you be up?" Eliza asked.

"I'm fine. But I'm a little hungry. You want to get some food?" Kara asked knowing Alex and Maggie needed time alone. Before Eliza could answer Kara exclaimed. "Oh Rao."

"What?" Eliza asked concerned.

"I missed lunch with Lena."

"I think she'll understand." Alex said. "My phone is in my lab if you want to call her."

"Thanks." Kara said hugging Alex before leaving with Eliza.

"How are you doing?" Alex asked when she was alone with Maggie.

"I'm fine. But the next person to apologise to me may end up being shot, alien or not." She replied before taking Alex's hand in hers. "How are you doing?"

"Better now you are both safe." Alex said. "But I was so scared when I heard the message. I hadn't even considered Lillian would target you. I should have."

"My money was on you being her next target." Maggie said. "So I'm glad I saved you from that. Not that I'm not grateful for the rescue, but I was kind of surprised that you let Kara get involved."

"Not my idea." Alex said. "But seeing Clark took all of the Kryptonite, technically there was no way of stopping her. At least working with her she stood a chance. But thank you for trying to look after her in there."

"Well I didn't achieve very much."

"You bought us some more time, which we needed. The tracker Kara put on you was harder to detect than Winn thought it'd be. We never should have gone with that plan. It was too risky. I should have seen that and that you would have been a target. I missed it and if I missed that how-"

"Alex." Maggie said squeezing her hand. "I'm okay and Kara's okay."

"But you could have both been killed." Alex said as tears began to roll.

"It'll take more than that to get rid of me." Maggie smiled before gingerly hugging Alex. "We're all okay. We won."

-00-

"How are you doing?" Eliza asked Kara, who was leaning against her on the couch, as the movie finished.

"I'm fine. Although I may try to get some sleep."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll be right here if you need anything."

"You're staying?" Kara asked.

"Of course I am." Eliza said hugging her.

"Why?"

"Why wouldn't I? I am not leaving you alone."

"But-" Kara started.

"Kara, after everything you have been through I'm not leaving you alone tonight." Eliza said in a tone Kara recognised as final.

"Thank you." Kara said relaxing into the hug. When she didn't make any effort to move Eliza said.

"I thought you were going to bed."

"I just said that so you didn't feel like you had to stay." Kara confessed. "I don't think I could sleep."

"You want to talk about what happened?" Eliza asked.

"No." Kara said. When Eliza said nothing Kara asked. "Are you going to make me?"

"No Sweetie. Just remember when you are ready I'm here for you."

 _ **-TBC...**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	18. Chapter 18

"Alex? Hi." Jeremiah smiled as she entered the room that had become his home at the DEO.

"Hi." Alex said.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine."

"And Kara?"

"Getting there."

"Your mother?" He guessed wondering why Alex had come to visit.

"We're all fine."

"That's good." Jeremiah said still none the wiser about why Alex had come to visit. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but you've gone out of your way to avoid me recently, so why are you here?"

"Keeping you locked away like this. That's letting Cadmus win. What you did was wrong, but I want to believe that you thought you were doing the right thing. Punishing you for a mistake whilst letting my fear and insecurity that you still work for them control me, that's giving Cadmus what they want." She said handing him an ID badge. "For obvious reasons you can't work here, at least with unrestricted access, but with that you are free to leave and return."

"Are you sure?" Jeremiah said.

"It doesn't mean that I am just going to blindly trust you like last time. But as Kara says we need to have a little faith. So I'm putting faith in the man who saved J'onn J'onzz fourteen years ago, the man who welcomed Kara into his home and my father."

"I know you have no reason to believe me when I say this, but I promise that I won't let you down." He said putting his hands on Alex's shoulders. "Everything I have done was to protect you and your sister. You will always be my priority."

-00-

"Hey Kara." Maggie said opening the door.

"Maggie? Hi. Sorry I'm interrupting again. I'll go." Kara said surprised to see Maggie on the other side of the door.

"You're not interrupting anything apart from boredom. Alex got stuck at work, so it's just me. I could use the company."

"You sure?" Kara asked.

"I'm sure." Maggie said walking back over to the lounge.

"Um, have you moved in?" Kara asked wondering why Maggie was at Alex's apartment without Alex.

"No. But Alex is being over protective and won't let me live by myself until I am fully fit so I am staying here." Maggie explained.

"How are your ribs?"

"They're fine. Unless you have a worthless piece of paper justifying being preachy, in which case they need another two weeks."

"Not a fan of doctors?" Kara asked.

"Huge fan of doctors, apart from when they are banning me from work." Maggie replied.

"Couldn't Alex give you a second opinion?" Kara asked.

"She did, it was worse than the first." Maggie complained.

"She's just worried about you. You mean too much to her for her to risk you getting hurt again." Kara said.

"So I haven't seen much of you since we escaped." Maggie commented. "You're not avoiding me are you?"

"Not exactly. Alex said you'd shoot me if I apologised again and I kinda thought that would stress Alex out." Kara smiled. "But I really am sorry you got dragged into this because of me."

"Kara, it's not your fault. I got dragged into it because of my connection with Alex, not you. And for the record I don't blame Alex either. But now you are here I wanted to say thank you for coming for me. I know it wasn't easy."

"Actually it wasn't so bad. I knew it was the right thing."

"Well I guess that's what makes you Supergirl." Maggie shrugged before asking. "So any thoughts on Supergirl coming back? With me off work for another two weeks I know the guys could use the help keeping the streets safe." she added smiling.

"I don't know."

"What's holding you back?"

"I'm scared." Kara said.

"Of what?"

"For starters that I won't be strong enough to beat Cadmus when they return."

"It's okay to lose to an enemy it is not okay to lose to fear." Maggie said.

"Did you just quote The Karate Kid?" Kara asked.

"No." Maggie said.

"Sounded like the Karate Kid." Kara argued.

"Technically it was the Karate Kid Part Three." Maggie said.

"Is this a Bonsai thing?" Kara asked.

"Overcoming fear?"

"No, liking the Karate Kid 3." Kara clarified.

"What's wrong with the Karate Kid Part three?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing. I mean your film preferences are way better then your food preferences."

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Alex said walking into the apartment. "Kara, hey. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Apart from your closed minded taste in films." Maggie commented.

"I didn't criticise." Kara said. "In fact I complemented you by saying your taste in movies was better than food."

"You hate my food choices."

"Technically vegan ice cream isn't a food choice, its a food crime." Kara countered.

"That's funny Little Danvers." Maggie replied standing. "On that note I'm going to get some take out."

"I'll go, you should be resting." Alex said.

"I'm fine." Maggie said, her tone slightly snappy. "And don't go into doctor mode."

"Okay." Alex said glancing at Kara who said.

"Now you know what's it like for the rest of us when you get sick."

"Can you get enough for eight?" Alex asked.

"You having a party?" Maggie asked.

"Family dinner." Alex said.

"Sure. I'll be back soon." Maggie said kissing Alex goodbye.

"Family dinner?" Kara asked as the door shut.

"Yeah. You're okay with that?"

"Of course."

"Good, because mom was going to try and bake a chocolate pecan pie."

"She was? Where?" Kara asked eye's wide.

"The DEO kitchen or failing that J'onn's." Alex said moving over to sit next to Kara on the couch. "You okay?"

"I wanted to talk to you, but it's not important."

"It is to you, so it is to me." Alex said. "What's up?"

"I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do."

"Do?" Alex asked.

"In life."

"Okay." Alex said immediately worrying where Kara was going.

"Since losing my job I've felt a little lost. I thought I could give up the Kara parts and replace them with Supergirl. But I'm not Supergirl at the moment either. Lillian was right the world doesn't need either version of me."

"That's not true. I will always need Kara Danvers." Alex said, convinced Kara was about to announce she was leaving.

"CatCo, at least under Cat, kept me human. Cat's advice helped me make the right decisions. But Cat is gone, Winn has left CatCo and James I barely speak to any more. Plus I don't actually have a job there. And all of that has caused me to make the wrong decisions. I shouldn't have published the article. I did the wrong thing for the right reasons. But was still wrong and it cost me my job. If I did the wrong thing for the right reasons as Supergirl I could do so much harm and that scares me."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm here, I need advice."

"You know I'd prefer you to be safe and that I never wanted you to come out as Supergirl." Alex said. "But being Supergirl makes you happy. Helping people is what completes you. You're right that if you screw up as Supergirl it is far more dangerous than if you screw up as Kara, but that's why you are part of a team. You have to trust us when we say not to do something. J'onn, Winn, me, we are all going to help keep you on the right path okay?"

"Okay." Kara said hugging Alex just as there was a knock on the door.

"It's Eliza." Kara said looking through the door before smiling and adding. "And she has pie."

-00-

"Maggie, you shouldn't be carrying all of that." Eliza said when Maggie returned an hour later. As she took the bags off her she turned to Alex and said. "She is meant to be resting, you shouldn't have sent her to get the food."

"I had no choice." Alex said before asking. "How much food did you get?"

"Well you said for eight, but I wasn't sure if that was eight taking into account Kara so I went for ten."

"The eight was already taking into account Kara." Alex said. "There are only six of us."

"But I'm starving." Kara said.

"So the extra potstickers are a good thing?" Maggie guessed.

"They'll almost make up for the ice cream." Kara said opening a bag. As she took out a potsticker she asked. "Are these real?"

"Yes, they're real." Maggie said.

"You not waiting for the others?" Eliza asked.

"It's a starter." Kara said trying to look innocent as there was another knock on the door. As Kara mumbled something whilst trying to eat Alex looked through the peephole before opening the door where J'onn and Jeremiah were standing.

"Come in." She said moving away from the door.

"Jeremiah?" Kara said surprised not having expected him.

"Hey." He smiled moments before Kara stepped up to him and hugged him.

-00-

"How are you doing?" J'onn asked as he came and joined Kara by the window an hour later.

"I'm okay." She said smiling at him.

"It's okay not to be." He reminded her.

"I know." Kara replied as flashing lights drove past on the street below. Noticing how Kara's eyes were drawn to them J'onn asked.

"You still miss being Supergirl?"

"I do."

"Enough to bring her back?"

"I don't know." Kara replied.

"Well if you do decide to bring your suit out of storage and you want some company just ask."

"I will. Thank you."

"Everything okay over here?" Eliza asked joining them.

"It's fine." Kara said. "Just enjoying the view."

"Well if you can tear yourself away I was about to serve the pie."

"Really?" Kara asked her eyes wide and excited.

"I take it you would like a slice then?" Eliza smiled.

"You really have to ask?" Kara asked.

"You're right I should know better." Eliza smiled as she turned with J'onn by her side.

As Kara followed them she heard distant sirens and gave one more look out of the window.

-00-

"Um Alex, you may want to see this." Maggie called later that evening as she watched tv.

"What is it?" Alex asked coming over to the lounge where Maggie had the news on.

"Your sister is making headlines." Maggie said looking at the screen, which had footage of Supergirl stopping a bus plunge over the side of the bridge. Seeing Alex's surprised look Maggie guessed. "Kara didn't tell you?"

"No." Alex said as she sat down next to Maggie and watched the news.

"You okay with this?" Maggie asked, worried with how quiet Alex was being.

"I guess. I mean it's what she wants and it makes her happy." Alex replied allowing herself to relax when the live footage showed Supergirl disappearing into the night sky.

"Why don't you go round to see her?" Maggie suggested.

"Because it is nearly midnight."

"So? She's clearly awake. And you always says she has a post save high. You should go celebrate with her. You know you want to. Well you either want to strangle her or celebrate with her. Go."

"What about you?"

"I can take care of myself. And I'll get more rest here if you aren't sighing all night. I mean it. Go."

"Thank you." Alex said kissing her.

-00-

"Supergirl has returned then." Henshaw commented as he entered Lillian's office in a remote building.

"Apparently so."

"Do you want me to deal with her?"

"No. Right now their guard is still up. In a few weeks they'll think they have beaten us into submission and it will be easier for us to attack. Until the delivery mechanism is perfected there is no point revealing ourselves. We'll wait until the time is right and then we'll strike." Lillian smiled. "For now, lets concentrate on our work, besides we have our new recruits to place."

-00-

"Hey Alex." Kara said opening her apartment door twenty minutes later.

"Don't hey Alex me. Were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you? About Supergirl?" Kara asked.

"Unless you have done anything else you need to confess to."

"I thought you said you'd be happy with me coming back as Supergirl."

"I did and I am. But you could have told me before you did it."

"It was kind of a spur of the moment thing." Kara confessed.

"Spur of the moment?" Alex asked.

"Are you mad? You seem mad."

"I'm not mad. I'm just concerned. Are you sure you are okay?"

"I am. Being out there as Supergirl felt right. For the first time in weeks I had a sense of purpose again."

"So coming back as Supergirl isn't just your way of over compensating for the lack of control you feel after everything Cadmus did?" Alex asked.

"No, of course not. Okay, fine, maybe a little. Why can you always see through me?"

"Because I am your big and much wiser sister?" Alex suggested. "But seriously Kara don't pretend that what happened didn't happen, that won't help."

"I know. But sometimes's it feels easier to pretend it didn't." Kara confessed. "But don't worry, I have another session with Matthews tomorrow."

"Good. And you know you can talk to me whenever you need?" Alex asked. "No matter what is happening in my life I am always there for you."

"I know." Kara said walking away from Alex and getting two tubs of ice cream from the freezer.

"Seriously? After you ate four dinners and half of mom's pie?" Alex asked.

"What? I just carried a bus. That makes me hungry." Kara said grabbing two spoons and taking the ice cream to the lounge. "You're just jealous you don't real ice cream at home anymore. If you don't want any I can put one back."

"I didn't say I didn't want any." Alex said sitting next to Kara and taking one of the tubs. "You sure you're okay?"

"Apart from the nightmares and occasional flashbacks and a phobia of needles. But at least that sounds better than a fear of popcorn makers." Kara said trying to make a joke of it.

"Come here." Alex said putting her ice cream down and hugging Kara. "There is nothing wrong with having nightmares or phobias. I can't even start to understand what you went through, but I know you'll be okay because you are the strongest, toughest person I know. But you have to take it slow okay?"

"Okay."

"And if have to start letting people in about what happened. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, but eventually you have to open up."

"I know."

"And I will always be by your side. Any time you want help I'll be there."

"I know. Thank you." Kara said before asking. "Don't you have to get back home?"

"I was going to crash here. I don't want to wake Maggie. Unless you don't want me here?"

"I want you here. I don't want to be alone." Kara confessed.

"Kara you'll never be alone." Alex said hugging her tighter.

 **The End**

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 **A/N** : Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I have had some requests to prolong this, however this felt like a good time to end it and real life is going to prevent me doing much writing for the next couple of months.

Thanks again to _Bobpandas_ for the prompt. _Anna_ , _Alex_ and _Same Guest Dude_ , thank you for the comments. I'm glad you enjoyed it. _Fandomlove17_ I would have loved to write longer chapters, but I barely had time to write short ones. It ended up as a choice of shorter chapters with daily updates or longer less frequent chapters. Next time I will probably try to finish writing the story before I post.


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